Chasing Grace
by Shootingstar7123
Summary: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.
1. Prologue

Chasing Grace:

Prologue

…

A/N: Thank you for joining me for the sequel to Saving Grace! This was originally intended to be the third in a trilogy, but I found that to be more than I could handle. This piece inspired me much more than what was to be the second installment, so I moved forward.

This takes place long after the previous story. Eleanor House is now a formidable pianist in her mid twenties, and Benjamin House has just completed his studies for his bachelor's degree, intending to soon attend medical school.

Thank you for your patience with me in getting this written, and I hope you fall in love with the House children, just like I did. Enjoy! :)

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

"So what's the verdict, Doc?" House asked sarcastically. He hated that Cameron made him go to these stupid check-ups. He was a doctor! He could look after himself just fine.

It was then that he realized his practitioner was looking at him with a concerned expression. "Dr. House," he began. "Your liver is in bad condition."

The news had no outward affect on House, but a pang echoed through his chest. This was the news he had been dreading for years.

"Considering your history, your liver has held up exceptionally well. If you hadn't reduced your painkiller intake, you would have come upon this issue a long time ago," the doctor continued, attempting to soften the blow. "As it is, the liver already has irreversible scarring."

"Get to the point," House snapped gruffly. He wasn't an idiot—he knew what was coming, and sugarcoating it wasn't going to help.

The doctor squared his shoulders and looked House in the eye with sympathy. "Dr. House, you are either going to need to cease your reliance on painkillers completely, or get a new liver."

"So what's the problem? Schedule the surgery! I'm AB+, anyone's liver will do," House insisted.

The doctor sighed. "This is the catch-22. With your current reliance on a narcotic drug, you cannot be approved for the transplant."

"And if I continue to take the drugs?" House asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"If you continue to damage your liver, you could go into liver failure at any time. I can't guarantee your longevity."

House prided himself on being calm during a crisis, on never showing his true feelings, but for once he couldn't help but betray his emotions. "How long do I have?" he asked in a low voice.

The doctor looked sorrowful. "At this level of damage… no more than a year."

Somehow, knowing what the doctor was going to say didn't prevent House from feeling as if his stomach had dropped out of his body. The world was spinning. In layman's terms, he was a dead man.

…


	2. The Call

Chasing Grace:

The Call

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters or storylines appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

"Greg, can you get the phone?" Allison House called from the kitchen.

Greg House rolled his eyes, but complied. She couldn't see his eye roll from the other room anyways. "Hello?" he said gruffly.

"Hey Dad," crackled a voice across the line.

House pulled the phone away from his ear and called out to his wife of over twenty-five years, "Allison, I think you want to take this call."

"Greg, I'm busy," she scolded.

"Just come in here and get the phone!" House called back in annoyance.

He heard a rather loud sigh from her before she appeared in the doorway. "You really can't take care of this one?"

He smirked. "Believe me, you want to take this call," he said, handing the phone to his wife.

"Hello?" Cameron answered, taking the phone from her husband. She listened for a moment and then squealed with delight, her face lighting up entirely. House grinned, watching her.

"Ben! How are you? Where are you? I miss you!" Cameron said affectionately into the phone, hanging onto it as if it were a lifeline.

"_I'm doing great, Mom,"_ crackled the voice across the distant connection. _"I miss you too. I'm in Edinburgh. That's where I've spent the past month."_

"When are you coming home?" Cameron asked zealously. This was the first time she'd been separated from her son for longer than a month or so at a time.

"_I don't know. I still have plenty of Grandma Blythe's money left."_

"And yet, we're still paying his cell phone bill," House cracked.

When House's mother had died, she passed the majority of her assets on to her grandchildren, with her express wishes for them to travel the world with it. With his parents' blessing, Ben was spending several months in England and Scotland just after his graduation from college. He was planning on entering medical school when he came home, although he wasn't sure yet when that would be.

"You must be having a great time there if you're still not ready to come home," Cameron mused with a smile.

"_That's why I'm calling, Mom," _Ben said.

Cameron's smile turned slightly bewildered. "What do you mean by that?"

"_Mom, I…"_ he trailed off. _"I want to stay. I want to go to med school here."_

Cameron went pale. House reached around her waist and pulled her down to sit beside him. He leaned close to her to see if he could hear what Ben was saying that had disturbed Cameron so.

"_You still there?"_ Ben asked, after a long silence.

"Yes, Ben," she said. "I just don't know what to say."

"_I love it here, Mom. It's a beautiful country, and they have good schools, too. I, uh," _he paused. _"I met someone."_

"Is that what this is about?" Cameron asked. "Ben, baby, you can't build your entire life around another person, especially at this stage!" she argued passionately.

House quirked an eyebrow. _Says the woman who married at 21,_ he thought.

"Medical school is a big decision, not one you want to make based on a crush," she continued.

"_This isn't a crush,"_ Ben interjected. _"Mom, she's…"_ he trailed off, at a loss for words. _"I want you to meet her."_

"Why don't you bring her home for a visit?" Cameron asked, brightening already at the idea of him coming home, if even for a little while.

"_She can't leave right now because of school,"_ Ben's voice came across the line. _"Why don't you come here?"_

"We'll think about it, Ben," Cameron said with a sigh. "We need to wrap this up—I have food on the stove. Want to say hi to your father?"

"_Nah, he probably wouldn't be able to hear me anyway," _Ben said jokingly.

"Hey!" House said, jokingly offended. His ear had been pressed up close to the other side of the receiver ever since Cameron had sat down.

"_Oh, guess the old fart's ears are still working. Hey, Dad," _Ben said.

"I'm not talking to you," House said in a childish tone.

Cameron laughed. "Okay, we better go. I don't want to burn the house down! Love you, Ben."

"_Love you too, Mom. Bye."_

Cameron sighed as she hung up the phone. "You heard most of that, right?"

House nodded. "Our son is an idiot."

Cameron shook her head. "I think…" she began, trailing off. "I think he may really be in love with her," she finished, a wistful look on her face.

"Of course he's not," House said firmly. "He'll get over it, we'll get him home, and he'll go to med school here, where he belongs."

Cameron didn't look so sure.

House shook the bottle before popping off the lid and dropping a single pill into his hand. He examined the pill. White and oblong, such a small thing that had such a great impact on his life.

Ever since the fateful discovery, he had been looking up alternative options to the vicodin. He had already completed physical therapy years ago, when the kids were young, reducing his intake significantly, but that was not enough. Lesser painkillers were not an option—the strength of the vicodin was what allowed him to function. He considered methadone, as he had used once before, but that had dulled his diagnostic abilities as well as coming with it's own package of potential dangers. He was old enough to retire, but diagnostics was his lifeblood. The only other seemingly viable option was a newer, experimental version of the ketamine treatment he had attempted so many years before. And this held no guarantee.

He looked over to see his wife sleeping beside him, still beautiful after all these years. He hadn't told her anything yet. She would only worry. House wondered what he would tell her, and when. He hadn't decided yet, but he couldn't wait forever. His time was running out.

…


	3. The News

Chasing Grace:

The News

…

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been writing slower than usual, and then my hard drive broke and my computer was out of commission for a week! But I'm back in business now, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Cameron rolled over and turned on the bedside lamp.

"Greg, you've been tossing and turning for the past hour. Is your leg hurting?"

"No more than usual," House grumbled, turning away.

"You don't have a case. Something's on your mind."

House was silent.

"Is this about Ben?" she asked, sitting up and looking at him.

"No, Goddamn it!" he exploded, turning towards her with hard eyes. "I'm dying here, and all you can think about is our stupid kid!"

Cameron's eyes filled with fear as she tried to process his outburst. "That's nothing to joke about, Greg!" she said in a warning tone.

"It's not a fucking joke!" he yelled. "If I don't get off the vicodin, I'll be dead in a year," he explained. "Or less." House rolled away from her again. He couldn't look at her. He rubbed his forehead with a hand. Not exactly how he had intended to tell her, but he couldn't shut his stupid mouth.

Cameron sat there for a moment, her mouth formed into a perfect O. "You don't think you could have mentioned this before?" she asked in a dangerously low voice.

His voice, still angry, came towards her. "I was being a good husband! Protecting you, goddamnit!" He paused. "You wanted to know, you got it! You always ask too many damn questions!"

"Okay," Cameron said. "Okay," she calmed herself, holding in barely restrained panic. "We can handle this. You're not going to die. We'll come up with something."

"Like hell we will," he mumbled.

"Look," Cameron said firmly, grabbing House's shoulders and pulling him so that he couldn't look away. "You are _not_ going to die on me. I won't let that happen!" she said with a determination that could only be driven by fear.

House finally looked into her eyes. She was terrified. Feelings of guilt flowed through him and he sighed. "There's an experimental ketamine treatment being performed in a hospital just outside of Paris. It's dangerous."

Cameron nodded and lowered herself down to rest her head on her husband's shoulder. "Have you contacted them yet?"

She felt House shake his head. "I'll call them tomorrow."

She reached up to stroke his thinning hair. "Don't worry," she whispered softly. "I'll make them take you if I have to fly there and kick every one of their asses."

House smiled slightly. He believed her—if anyone could do it, it was his wife.

With her hand in his hair, he was finally able to relax, and he drifted off to sleep.

With House asleep, Cameron finally let the tears silently fall.

…

Dinner at the Cuddy-Wilson household was always a fun affair, especially when the grandchildren were about. It was the perfect escape from the worries that plagued House and Cameron at home.

Rachel Cuddy and her wife, Althea, were both products of adoption and had a special place for adoptive kids in their hearts. It was natural that the pair would have adopted their own children.

Adam was a rambunctious five-year-old with a love for dinosaurs and baseball. Laurie was two and had only recently joined the family from Russia. She was quieter than her brother, but Rachel and Althea said she just needed some time to adjust.

Wilson's nephew, Jack, whom he had inherited many years ago through a sad set of circumstances, was at dinner as well. With House and Cameron also in attendance, this created a large, fun group for dinner.

"I'm sorry that Ellie couldn't come," Cameron said to Cuddy when they arrived. "She had rehearsals all day and couldn't get away."

"Don't worry about it," Cuddy said warmly. "I'm just glad that House doesn't have a case right now or I'm sure he would have found a reason to stay at work rather than see me."

"Your boss living with your best friend is the seventh circle of hell," House interjected, making both women roll their eyes.

"Need any help in the kitchen?" Cameron asked.

"Sure," Cuddy responded, leading her in.

Cuddy and Cameron hadn't always been so close, but with the shared bond of parenthood and with Cuddy and Wilson's common-law marriage, the two had become friendly, if not quite friends.

While Cameron and Cuddy were in the kitchen, Wilson, House, and Rachel watched TV, Althea held a sleeping Laurie, and Jack played with Adam.

When dinner was finally ready, the entire crowd gathered.

"How is Eleanor liking New York?" Jack asked over the meal of chicken parmesan.

"She just loves it," Cameron said with a smile. "The orchestra has been a great fit for her, and she really enjoys being in the city."

"That's great!" he responded. "Maybe she can show me around some when I head up there next month."

The entire group looked at him questioningly.

Jack smiled broadly. "I've been accepted to a doctoral program at NYU!"

The entire table burst out in excitement and congratulations.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Wilson asked, bursting with pride for the young man he considered a son.

"I wanted everyone gathered together to tell you all at once," he explained. "I was actually really hoping that Ellie would be here," he said. "Ben too," he added hurriedly.

House and Cameron exchanged a quick glance. Jack had always exhibited feelings for their daughter, which they hoped he'd gotten over.

Cameron had always secretly wanted them to get together, but Eleanor had expressed no interest in him. Or in anyone at all, really.

"So you're taking leave from teaching?" Althea asked.

He nodded. "I'll be teaching a couple courses at NYU while I'm in the program."

"I'm so proud of you," Cuddy said, grinning.

"We all are," House said, surprising everyone.

…

"They're all so grown up," Cameron said wistfully, in bed that evening.

"We could make another," House said, wiggling his eyebrows. He reached under her shirt playfully.

Cameron swatted his hand away and made a face at him. "We're far too old for that."

"If you're going to tell me you're too old for sex, I'm going to have to find a hotter, younger wife," he teased.

Cameron grinned. "Our sex has only gotten better. You would never trade me in for a younger model."

"Then you'd better still be putting out!" House quipped, pushing his wife down and rolling on top of her.

She grinned. "As if I could resist you!"

…


	4. The Decision

Chasing Grace:

The Decision

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

House hit the voicemail button, his hands filled with mail, when he arrived home from work. Cameron had to work late—the head of immunology had a lot of paperwork. So did he, but that's what his fellows were for, after all.

The machine beeped. "This is a message for Dr. Gregory House from the Paris Medical Institute."

House stopped going through the mail and looked up. "You have been accepted to our ketamine trial that starts in six weeks. Please call to receive additional information. Our number is…"

House grabbed a pen quickly to jot down the number. His heart was pounding. It was all real now.

…

When Cameron arrived at home, she found House staring blankly at the television. She looked around, realizing that there was nothing prepared for dinner.

"Greg," she began in exasperation, "You knew I was working late. Couldn't you even order Chinese or something?"

When he didn't respond, she came over to him. "Greg… what's going on?"

"I've been accepted," he said thickly.

Cameron jumped excitedly, a grin on her face and tears growing in her eyes. She stopped when she saw House's blank expression. "Greg, this is good news! What's wrong?"

House looked at her straight on. "The odds of this working are about eighty percent. That means that there's a twenty percent chance I'm going to die in a year anyways." He paused. "That is, if I wake up at all."

Cameron's tears began to fall. She held him closely. "We have to try," she whispered.

House wrapped his arms around her. "I know," he said softly, his eyes closing over his own unshed tears.

…

"Hey, Ben!" Cameron said, a little too brightly. "We have decided that we are going to visit you after all!"

She paused, listening. "We bought tickets to Edinburgh for about a month from now, and we'll be there for two weeks."

"Okay. See you soon, sweetheart."

She turned to her husband after hanging up the phone. "There's no reason to tell him about the surgery. He'll just worry," she said.

"And Eleanor?" House asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I told her we were staying in Scotland," Cameron explained.

"They're both smarter than you think, you know."

Cameron sighed. "I know."

…

Benjamin House hung up the phone and turned to his flame-haired girlfriend.

"So they're coming?" Lily MacInroe asked with a grin.

Ben smiled. "In a month." He drew her close. "I can't wait for them to meet you," he added with a kiss.

"What are they like?" Lily asked, pulling away to sit on the bed.

Ben ran a hand through his wavy brown hair. "Well, Dad looks like me, only taller and _old_. He's a real sarcastic bastard, but don't let him get to you. He's all talk." he said with a wink.

"And Mom, well, is basically the nicest person in the world. I have no idea how she puts up with Dad every day."

"How did they meet?" Lily prompted.

Ben shrugged. "They worked together or something. They're both doctors. I think Mom said that she worked for Dad for a while. She's a lot younger, but he claims that she was the one chasing him, not the other way around. But I don't believe a lot of what he says."

Lily grinned. "The way you talk about them, they already seem so real to me! I can't wait to meet them! Your sister isn't coming, is she?"

"Nope, she's too busy playing piano in some orchestra or something in New York. She's always too busy with piano for anything else, seems like. I think if she could marry the damn thing, she would," Ben said with a hint of sarcasm.

"I'm sure that's not true," Lily said with a hand on Ben's arm.

He rolled his eyes. "You'd be surprised."

Lily shrugged and leaned back onto the bed. "I think they all sound lovely."

Ben laughed, looking down at her. "You'd think they sounded lovely if I told you they worked in coal mines and ate ants for breakfast!"

She blushed self-consciously. "Well, you try growing up without a family and see what you think!"

"Do you want a family?" Ben asked, laying himself down beside her.

"You mean, like, do I want kids someday?" she questioned.

"I mean, do you want to be a part of a family. My family," he clarified.

Lily looked at him, her normally sparkling gray eyes now looking bewildered. "Benjamin Gregory House, are you asking me to marry you?"

He shrugged gently, with a smile. "I guess I am."

"Ben," she said, trying to be rational, "we're still in school…"

"I know," he assured her. "But what I also know is that I love you and I don't want to have to wait four years before you can really be mine." His blue eyes, as bright as his father's, bored into her grey ones.

Lily nodded slowly. "Okay," she said. The sparkle returned to her eyes, and she smiled tentatively.

Ben grinned widely. "Wonder what my parents are going to say about this!"

…

Cameron waved at Cuddy from across the cafeteria.

"How's it going?" she asked the administrator as she sat down.

"Busy," Cuddy responded, setting down her plate. "I still haven't found someone to take my place."

"Still?" Cameron asked incredulously. "Guess you'll never get to retire, Lisa."

Cuddy laughed. "I've been a workaholic all my life," she admitted, tucking a stray strand of graying hair behind her ear, "but now I really just want to spend time with my grandkids!"

Cameron smiled, picking at her salad. "Sounds like being a grandma agrees with you."

"All the fun with none of the stress!" Cuddy grinned, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Now I just need Jack to settle down so I can have more," she joked.

Cameron shook her head, suddenly serious. "If only we could get him to stop wasting his attention on Eleanor. The poor boy is going to have his heart ripped to pieces."

Cuddy sighed. "I've tried to talk to him, but he just isn't interested in anyone else."

"At least he's interested in someone," Cameron said, becoming a bit gloomy. "Eleanor hardly sees us, much less anyone else. She's so focused on her music that she's going to let the rest of her life just pass her by."

Cuddy shook her head. "You can't live her life for her. Lord knows it would be easier if we could."

Cameron shook her head too, and laughed gently. "Yeah, they have to make their own mistakes."

After a bit more chatter about parenting, Cuddy finished off the last bits of her sandwich and stood. "I have to run. Lots of things to do today!"

Cameron smiled. "Talk to you later!"

Cameron turned back to her salad and sighed. She hadn't eaten much, but Cuddy didn't seem to notice. She was just so worried lately. Eleanor was a constant source of worry, and Ben had become one too with his recent phone call. But most of all she was worried about Greg. Cameron sighed again and got up, dropping the remains of her salad in a nearby wastebasket. She would have to keep on going. Someone had to keep this family together.

…


	5. The Question

Chasing Grace:

The Question

…

A/N: I am SO sorry that you all had to wait this long! I had fully intended to post this chapter before I went on vacation, but things were so busy that I simply didn't have time. I am back in town and back to work on this story, so I should begin posting with a little more regularity now, I think.

Anyways, here's the next chapter. I hope it doesn't disappoint!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

"You would think after nearly 30 years of marriage you would learn to help out every now and then," Cameron said dryly to her husband who was lying across the bed next to their suitcases and a pile of clothing.

"You would think after nearly 30 years of marriage you would realize that I'm never going to change," House teased back.

Cameron couldn't help but smile. "Believe me, I knew I was marrying an ass."

"And I knew I was marrying someone who would pack my suitcase for me for the rest of my life," House retorted, now unable to hide his teasing grin.

Cameron smacked him on the arm gently. "Whatever. At least I can survive on my own."

House grabbed her arm before she could pull away. "How do you think I survived before we got married?"

Cameron's face changed into a mischievous grin. "Wilson."

House pulled her down on top of him. "That's it, woman! I think you need to be put in your place."

"Oh? And how do you propose to do that?" she asked daringly, her heart already racing.

"Oh, I'm thinking handcuffs might be involved…" House said with a grin before kissing her feverishly. Before they could really get things going, the phone rang.

Cameron groaned, rolling over to check who was calling. "It's Eleanor," she said regretfully.

House rolled his eyes. "Cut the cord already," he whined.

Cameron rolled her eyes and pushed the talk button. "Hey, El."

Cameron looked over to her husband after a moment. "She wants to be on speakerphone," she said to him, before pressing the button.

"Is Dad on now?" Eleanor asked from the other end of the line.

"I'm here," House grumbled. "But I want you to be well aware that you interrupted your mother and I in the middle of some well-deserved fun."

Cameron horrifiedly shouted "Greg!" at the same time as Eleanor was squealing, "Ewwww."

"You're so gross, Dad," she continued. "Now that we're done talking about the love life of senior citizens, I have some news."

House and Cameron both rolled their eyes at the senior citizens comment, but Cameron took the bait. "What's your news?"

"I've been selected as the performer for a piano concerto at Carnegie Hall!" she said, her excitement impossible to hide.

Cameron broke out into a grin likely as wide as her daughter's. "Oh, sweetheart, that's so exciting! When are you performing? We need to get tickets."

Cameron turned to her husband, who was silent, but his eyes were shining. "We're both so proud of you," she added, smiling at him.

"It's in about two months," Eleanor said. "Performances on the 18th and 19th."

Cameron and House's eyes turned from excitement to concern. Their flight returned on the morning of the 19th.

"Eleanor," Cameron said gently. "Remember, we don't return from Scotland until the morning of the 19th."

"I know, Mom. I already have tickets for you guys that night. I was hoping you could make it anyway."

"We'll be there, El," House said firmly.

Cameron looked at him with eyebrows raised. That was quite a promise, considering they had no idea what the future would hold for them. House looked at her, understanding her worry. He nodded at her encouragingly.

Cameron turned towards the phone, hugging her arms to herself. "Yes, we'll be there," she reiterated, reassuring herself as much as her daughter.

…

As far as anyone at the hospital knew, House and Cameron would be in Scotland with their son for two months. Even their closest friends didn't know the true purpose of their visit, as House desperately wanted to keep it secret. He didn't want anyone's concern or sympathy. That would be unbearable.

Wilson and Cuddy had invited them over for dinner again the evening before their departure, this time with just the adults.

Cuddy seemed oddly nervous all night, until she cleared her throat at the dinner table.

"So, you say you'll be back on the 19th, isn't that right?" she asked, directing her question at Cameron.

"Yes, that morning, though we'll be in New York overnight for Eleanor's concert," she replied. Cuddy and Wilson exchanged a quick look.

Cuddy cleared her throat again. "I have a, uh, proposition for you on your return," she said.

"For me?" Cameron asked, furrowing her brow. Now it was her and House's turn to share a look, but this was one of confusion.

Cuddy nodded her reply. "I'd like to ask you to take my place when you get back."

Cameron's hand flew to her mouth. House's face was indiscernible.

Cuddy began to explain. "My best options are really too inexperienced and too young to really do this job. I realize that you will probably want to retire yourself in a few years, but by then I feel that there will be some better applicants."

Cameron took in a deep breath. "Lisa, I just don't know what to say," she said with a shake of her head. "It's a big job."

"I'm confident in your ability to do it," she said, "And," she added, "As a friend, I'm asking you to. For me."

Cameron took another deep breath. "I need time to think about this."

Cuddy nodded. "Call me when you've thought about it and we can chat. We can charge it to the hospital's budget," she said, grinning slightly.

The rest of the dinner concluded with idle chatter, but House noticed that after that conversation, Cameron barely touched her food.

…

"Allison," House began, in bed that night, "How are you holding up?" He was being uncharacteristically concerned.

"I'm fine," she responded firmly, if a bit unconvincingly. She rolled over, getting comfortably settled in. "Go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

House gave in for the time being, curving his body around his wife's and closing his eyes. They were both a little tense with everything that was going on. She would be back to her old self after his surgery.

…


	6. The Visit

Chasing Grace:

The Visit

…

A/N: Considering my long absence, I thought it would be nice to go ahead and give you another chapter while I'm at it. ;) But the best still lays ahead, so stay tuned!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

House and Cameron got up early the next morning to take the train into New York. Their flight would take all day, but it would be morning again when they arrived in Edinburgh. It was a long day for both of them. They had trouble sleeping on the flight despite their first class accommodations, a situation not simply due to discomfort.

Cameron was worried about House, and about their son. Ben seemed to be altering his entire life plan for this girl, who he couldn't have known for more than a few months. She understood the call of young love, but she couldn't help but fear that heartbreak was in store for him.

They arrived in Edinburgh on a bright sunny morning, exhausted from the long flight. When Cameron saw a familiar face at the airport, she went running. House, though slower, wasn't far behind. He caught up as Cameron was releasing Ben from a hug. There was a red-headed girl standing just behind him.

"Mom, Dad?" he began nervously. He looked to the girl. "This is Lily MacInroe. We're engaged."

Cameron's jaw dropped and House's brow furrowed. Cameron looked down to see the delicate diamond that adorned the girl's left hand. "Well," Cameron said, collecting herself, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lily." She looked between the girl and Ben. "And congratulations to you both, though this is a huge surprise!" she added faintly. House's brow just furrowed deeper, and he stayed silent.

Allison made small talk with Lily as Ben brought them to the apartment he'd been renting. It was small but nice, with a second bedroom that he showed his parents to immediately. Cameron couldn't help but notice the thunderous look that had only become more deeply etched on her husband's face as the day went on. She wasn't going to say a word; she just unpacked for him and hoped he'd calm down soon.

Ben came into the room. "If you guys are settled in, we can go into town, or you can nap or something until lunch if you want," he said.

"Ben," Cameron began, "We really need to talk for a minute first." She got up and shut the door.

"Is Lily still here?" she asked.

"She's in the living room watching TV," Ben responded. "She won't mind waiting."

Cameron nodded. "Ben, baby…" she began again, "you could have at least warned us," she said, being as gentle as possible. "Your father and I—"

House cut her off. "Think you're an idiot!" he thundered. "What were you thinking?"

Ben looked taken aback, "I…"

"You need to stop thinking with your dick instead of your brain!" House raged.

"Greg!" Cameron said, appalled. "Calm down!"

"I will not calm down!" he shouted irately. "I did not waste my time raising you and paying for your education so you can throw it away on the first girl who catches your eye!"

Ben's blue eyes had turned fiery. "Leave her out of this! She is not just any girl!"

Cameron put a soothing hand of House's arm, sitting him down on the edge of the bed. "Ben, you just need to think this through," she pleaded. "You haven't known her that long, how do you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"I've known since the moment I met her, Mom," he said seriously.

"Oh, please," House said, unable to keep from interjecting. "At your age, every girlfriend is the love of your life."

"That's not true!" Ben said angrily. "She's special!"

Cameron was the one to interject now. "Yes, she could be the love of your life. Or you may be over her in a month, a year! The point is that _you don't know_."

Ben shook his head. "The least you could do is to pretend to be happy for me. It's my life. You have _no_ right. I'm not listening to any more of this." He stormed out.

House and Cameron looked at each other as Ben slammed the door.

Cameron sighed. "That went well."

House just grunted.

"He did have a point," she admitted. "It _is_ his choice…"

"An idiotic choice," House argued. "And he should know it."

"We can't control him, Greg," she said, shaking her head. "Not anymore."

…

The two weeks in Edinburgh passed quickly. House and Cameron observed Ben and Lily closely. In spite of themselves, Lily charmed them. She was a sweet girl, and a grand storyteller, keeping them entertained even on the nights when they stayed in. They learned quickly about her past, realizing how growing up without a family had changed her, and Cameron soon understood Ben's burning need to protect her, to love her, and to give her the family she never had. But there was no doubt about it; the way that she and Ben interacted was loving, both House and Cameron could see it.

By the end of two weeks, it seemed to Cameron that House was no more convinced of the pair, though he had softened towards the girl a bit. Cameron, on the other hand, had begun to come around. She took Ben aside for a walk in the nearby park for a few minutes that last evening that they were in Edinburgh.

"Ben," she began, "I'm sorry about the way we addressed your relationship with Lily. She's a wonderful girl." Ben nodded sedately, waiting to hear the rest.

"It is your choice—you're an adult, after all, but we only acted that way because we care about you. You'll be changing your entire life because of Lily—what if it doesn't last?"

"I've thought about that, Mom," Ben interjected. "I think I want to be here, in Edinburgh, even then."

Cameron quirked her eyebrows. "It's going to be a lot of work, Ben, with immigration and so on."

"I know," he replied. "I've already looked into it."

Cameron was surprised, though she knew she shouldn't be. Ben had always been intelligent and thoughtful. "I've been underestimating you, Ben," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're so much smarter than your father or I usually remember," she admitted.

"I have thought about this, Mom," he said, impassioned. "I want to stay here, and I want to marry Lily, and I'll do whatever I have to do to make that happen."

Cameron looked at him for a few moments, gauging the truthfulness in his eyes, before she nodded. "Dad and I won't stand in your way."

"He won't?" Ben asked, sounding unconvinced.

Cameron couldn't help but laugh. "I'll make sure he doesn't!"

…

Cameron couldn't help but think it strange when she saw her husband also pull aside their son that night. Cameron followed behind them when House and Ben went out to the balcony off of Ben's room.

She was afraid that House would try again to convince him not to marry the girl and only end up angering him. She didn't want to leave Ben on a bad note, especially considering what could lay ahead.

She watched from inside the room, hovering in the shadows. Their voices flowed inside on the warm summer breeze.

"I'm sorry, Ben," came House's voice. Cameron couldn't believe her ears! "You can make your own choices, whatever they are."

Cameron caught sight of Ben, who looked as surprised as she felt. She watched her husband as he continued to speak. "My father always said I was a disappointment. I don't want you to feel that way," he said seriously.

"I don't, Dad," Ben said softly.

"Just… be happy, Ben," House said, just as softly. House had rarely hugged his son since the he was a child, but this was a rare moment. Cameron watched in amazement as House embraced his son.

She snuck back to her own room, amazed. What had she witnessed? And most importantly, why?

And that was the question that plagued her. Would House so readily have shown affection and gone back on his statements if he wasn't terrified of what was to come?

A cold fear washed through Cameron. No—he would get through this. He must.

…


	7. The Goodbye

Chasing Grace:

The Goodbye

…

A/N: You might want to grab some tissues.

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

House and Cameron arrived in Paris after a short flight. They took a taxi to their modern and stylish hotel, which had views of the Eiffel Tower.

Their room was on one of the highest floors, with floor to ceiling windows covering one wall, displaying a panorama of the city below them.

When they had settled in, Cameron took in the sights at their window. "We could go out to a little café. Visit the Eiffel Tower. See the city."

House came up behind her and turned her around roughly, his hands on her arms. "I have one night with you," he said. "I don't know what things are going to be like… after," he finished uncomfortably. "I don't care about Paris. I want you."

Before Cameron could respond, House's mouth had covered hers with a desperate kiss. Cameron melted into him, taking solace in House's body. He kissed her hungrily, his hands fumbling with her blouse.

When House had stripped Cameron of her clothing, he pressed her up against the glass and entered her forcefully, causing her to cry out in surprise and arousal. He moved quickly—there was only so long that he could manage the standing.

Cameron clawed into House's back unconsciously, leaving small red marks across it. As he moved against her, she ran her tongue roughly up his jawline to his ear, eliciting a low moan from him.

Together they moved faster and faster until House reached his peak, shuddering with intense pleasure as he came within her. They stood together for a few moments before House exited her and motioned towards the bed.

Following his instructions, Cameron laid down, her body glimmering in the light of the city. House joined her on the bed and pushed her legs apart forcefully, opening her to him.

She gasped as he pushed two fingers inside her, grasping at her g-spot. House moaned and felt his dick twitch slightly when he realized how wet she was for him. He licked suddenly at her clit, causing Cameron to writhe and moan. He worked at her, softly for a while, and then more urgently, leading her to the depths of pleasure that she had given him at the window.

Cameron gripped the headboard as she got closer and closer to her destination, finally crying out and contracting around House's fingers. House drew his fingers out and brought them to his mouth, licking the dripping juices from his fingers. "You still taste sweet," he said huskily.

House went into the bathroom, cleaned himself off, and got a washcloth for his wife, still stretched across the bed. He handed it to her when he returned. "What do you say we order room service and then try this again?" he asked.

Cameron grinned. "It sounds like a deal."

…

When the food was eaten and plates were out in the hall, House reached for his wife again. He didn't just want her; he needed her right now. He needed the comfort only she could give, the knowledge that she was here to love him and care for him, no matter what would come.

Before they had moved fast and frantically; their need was too great for patience. But this time they made love slowly, with the comfort and skill that it took years together to forge.

Their longing for each other was too great to be without. They joined together and felt whole, felt as if the world was right, if only for a few minutes. House cradled his wife to him preciously, his feelings overwhelming him, the feelings that he hid during the day. Only now, after dark in the arms of his lover, could they emerge and take shape.

It was the second time House cried while making love.

…

In the morning, it was time to head to the hospital. Emotion, fear, and love had been released the night before, but now the couple held back, each protecting the other from burdening them with too much to bear. They were restrained and quiet. Now was not the time for emotion. There was work to do.

The procedures were fairly standard. They checked him in, did a multitude of tests, then began to prep him for the surgery.

While House was being prepped, Cameron was being debriefed.

"While Dr. House is under, we will also try to repair some of the damage to the liver," one of her husband's doctors said to her with a heavy French accent. "Best case scenario, he will be healthier than in years. Worst case scenario, he will have to be careful not to overtax the liver. No pain medications, no alcohol."

He saw Cameron's fearful face. "The liver surgery is not dangerous," he reassured her. "And his odds are good for the ketamine treatment. He is on the older side, but otherwise an ideal subject."

Cameron nodded nearly imperceptibly. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"Once he is under sedation, you will be his medical proxy, making all decisions in his treatment that have not been predetermined. Do you understand?" he asked.

"I understand," she said softly.

The doctor checked his watch. "You can probably see him now. Come with me," he said.

He led her to House, who was in a hospital bed with an IV tube inserted in his arm. Cameron had a strong urge to run away.

She saw patients in worse conditions every day, but the shock at seeing your own loved one in that position never seemed to go away, no matter how many times you had experienced it. She forced her shaking legs to take the steps over to the chair at the side of his bed. "Hey, Greg," she said, her voice wobbling.

He took her hand in his. "Don't go soft on me now," House said, but his voice was gentle. "How long do we have?" he asked.

Cameron shrugged. "The doctor said about five minutes."

House nodded. "Let's not waste it." He pulled her down towards him, kissing her deeply. Cameron felt as if her very soul was being drawn up through the kiss. While her lips felt ecstasy, her heart felt as if it had been replaced with a black hole. An empty ache filled her.

When the kiss was ended, Cameron spoke. "I've loved you ever since the monster trucks," she blurted.

"What?" House asked, confused.

"Since that monster truck thing you took me to the first year I was your fellow. You know, with Gravedigger," she said with a slight smile.

House couldn't help but match her smile. "I loved you first," he admitted. "Why do you think I hired you? Though I would have died before admitting it then."

Cameron smiled at her hands, holding his. "I know. It took you long enough," she teased gently.

House shrugged with a disarming smile. "I was worth the wait," he said.

His smile dropped, and he looked at her seriously. "I need to tell you something," he said. "Before I go to sleep."

Cameron looked at him, her brow crinkling slightly. "What is it?"

House looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "I… I need to thank you," he said haltingly.

Cameron looked bewildered. "For what?" she asked.

"For everything." He looked back at her. "My life was empty without you. I was miserable. You gave me everything. If you weren't here…" he paused and gave a small shrug. "I would have just let myself die."

"Greg," Cameron began softly, "Please…"

"Let me finish," he cut her off. "I'll never get the guts to say this again." He continued, "There was no point in living without you."

He grabbed her hand tightly, looked into her eyes, and spoke forcefully. "I love you more than life itself," he said firmly, almost violently.

Tears were pricking at Cameron's eyes. "Please, Greg, don't do this," she begged. "I can't take it," she said passionately, her lip trembling. She spoke softly. "Don't act like this is goodbye."

House leaned back. "Okay. I won't," he said slowly, bringing himself back under control. He took another look at his beautiful wife, committing her to memory. She looked terrified. "Things will be fine," he reassured her.

Cameron took a few deep breaths, regaining her composure. "Of course they will," she said with a conviction she did not feel.

A knock came on the door, and a nurse entered. "We need to administer the sedative now."

"May I—" Cameron began, but she was cut off by the nurse's nod.

"You may stay until the sedative kicks in," she said with a kindly smile.

More people entered the room. She heard voices speaking in French, and a fear washed over her. She gripped House's hand.

"Take care of yourself," he commanded. "I mean it."

Cameron nodded. "I will," she promised.

"See you in a week," he said, squeezing her hand.

When his eyes tried to blink away the sleep that was overtaking him, Cameron's panic surfaced. "I love you," she said urgently, but there was no response. His eyes, unfocused, closed, and his grip on her hand loosened.

Cameron sat, unmoving, until the nurse told her she must go to the waiting room. When the nurse helped her up, she turned and bolted to the restroom across the hall. Inside the stall, she finally let loose, crying out in fear and sadness. When the tears died down, she composed herself.

She straightened out her clothes and fixed her hair in the mirror. The puffy redness around her eyes wouldn't go away, but it wasn't a rare sight in a hospital. She must go out, and she must wait. She must get through this. She had to.

…

A/N: The next chapter will be a much more lighthearted one, I promise. We're going to New York to visit Eleanor!


	8. The Pianist

Chasing Grace:

The Pianist

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

The last notes rang out for a few moments before the piano fell silent, and Eleanor House gracefully lifted her fingers from the keys. She breathed deeply, and her eyes opened, still unfocused as she returned to the world.

"Beautiful work, Eleanor," complimented the conductor. He turned to his orchestra to give a few instructions. "I need you all to watch me closely on the last four bars. I'll give you your cue, you just need to keep your eyes up." The orchestra shuffled around impatiently, knowing they would be released as soon as he finished speaking. The conductor mercifully glanced at his watch, cutting his instructions short. "You have just over an hour for lunch. Be back here and warmed up by 12:45!"

There was a mad scramble for the doors, but Eleanor wasn't a part of it. Her eyes were closed again. She was replaying the end of piece in her mind, her hands miming over the keys. The conductor saw her back to him and smiled, walking over to her. He waited until her eyes opened again, revealing a brilliant blue that seemed shocking the first time he'd seen them. After getting to know her, they seemed to suit her perfectly, like the way her amazing talent hid from sight just inside her fingertips. "Eleanor," he said, smiling down at her.

She glanced up in surprise. "Oh! Mr. Montsoya!"

His smile grew as he suppressed a laugh. "Relax, Eleanor. And how many times must I remind you to call me Hector? I just wanted to make sure you were going to get lunch like everyone else. You need to keep up your strength if you're going to be the star at our concert!" he finished with a hearty laugh.

Eleanor finally cracked a smile, a rare sight, he knew. "I was just thinking about the piece. I'm going in a moment—I'm meeting someone, actually."

Hector's eyebrows rose. "Oh?" he asked playfully. "Paramour?"

She teased back gently. "Now, everyone knows my only love is music. That would be cheating!" They both laughed.

She stood up and grabbed her purse with a smile on her face. "See you after lunch, Hector!"

He smiled as he watched her walk away. "See you then." With that he turned back to the piano, trailing his fingers over where hers had been.

…

Jack Wilson checked his watch. She should be here by now, he thought. Had she forgotten?

His insecurity in this matter belied him—Jack appeared a confident man. He had much of the charisma of the man who raised him, and similar looks as well. When his mother had passed away as a child, he had thought he was finally going to meet the father he had always dreamed of. Instead, he had found out, his father was out on the streets, lost or even dead, and he was taken in by his uncle, James Wilson. He was a angry, sullen child then. No one would ever have expected that child to turn into the man he was today.

He had the attention of nearly any woman he could want, but the only one he wanted was Eleanor House. Some had called her mousy, but Jack thought that was unfair. No one who watched her for more than a couple minutes could ever think such a thing.

She had a quiet confidence that was not brought on by men's attentions but because she did not care for them. She was gracefully slender, with subtle curves in all the right places. Her hair was a light, unassuming brown, having faded from the blonde of her youth, but it flowed long and wavy down her back. Her eyes were shockingly blue, a trait that made everyone think she was her father's biological daughter, though the truth was somewhat more complicated. She had no coyishness or the artifices of other women. She was simply Eleanor, the pianist.

She was serious about her music, and often shy, but when you got to know her she was witty, sarcastic, and sweet. She was the perfect woman, thought Jack.

…and there she was, in front of him. "Hello, Jack," she said with a tentative smile.

He came out of his reverie quickly, drinking her in with a broadening smile. "Eleanor! It's so good to see you," he said, standing to give her what was, to Eleanor, a disconcerting hug. As children they had been good friends, after getting past the age at which the opposite sex was considered the enemy. Eleanor had looked up to him, and he had always been there for her with friendship and good advice. But after college something had changed, and now she didn't know what to make of their relationship, and consequently, was confused about how to act around him.

The majority of the meal consisted of fairly awkward small talk, slowed down by the distractions of food and drink.

"My parents tell me that you'll be performing a piano concerto at Carnegie Hall! Congratulations!" he said with a smile.

Eleanor smiled tentatively back. "Thanks. I'm pretty nervous about it, to tell you the truth," she confessed.

Jack laughed. "I know you, Eleanor; you won't rest until you can perform it perfectly. I know you'll be great."

She blushed at the compliment, but rushed to move the conversation elsewhere. She didn't much like being the center of attention—at least when she didn't have a piano in front of her. "You've been looking at apartments today, isn't that right?"

"Yes, but without much luck," he said with a sigh. Even then he couldn't seem to wipe the smile off his face. "Everything is too far from campus, too expensive, or full of college kids," he laughed.

Eleanor couldn't help but laugh with him. "Maybe one of those college kids needs a roommate," she teased. "I imagine that would fit your budget, as long as you don't mind the all-night study sessions or drunken partiers coming in at 3AM."

He grinned at her. "And here I thought you had never quite understood what college life was all about."

She shrugged. "Well, I had a roommate once who went to a few parties…"

Jack laughed heartily. "Why am I not surprised? Always the same diligent Eleanor. But it's paid off. If I'd been half as devoted to the cello then maybe I'd have learned to play worth a damn," he joked self-deprecatingly.

She blushed again, and looked at her watch. "I should really be heading back to rehearsal," she admitted reluctantly. Normally she would be happy to be returning to play, but she surprised herself this time by wishing to stay a little longer.

"I won't keep you, then," Jack replied. "And count me in for the concert. I can come either night, you just let me know."

Eleanor smiled as she stood to go. "I'll get you a ticket for the 19th. Your parents and mine will be coming that night, and besides, I'll be less nervous the second time around. It will probably be better."

"I stand by my previous assertion," Jack maintained. "Both nights will be perfect." He smiled brilliantly, and hugged her again. "It was a pleasure, as always, Eleanor."

"Thanks for seeing me while you're here," she found herself replying—and she meant it.

…

But when Eleanor returned to rehearsal, she found out she wasn't needed.

"Eleanor, I'd like to practice with just the orchestra for about 20 minutes," the conductor, Hector Montsoya said. "You can wait in the hall if you prefer."

Eleanor grudgingly got up from her piano. There was something she had been putting off, something that had been weighing on her mind. Hector had given her the perfect opportunity to do it, and for a fleeting moment, she felt annoyed with him as much as she knew he had nothing to do with the situation.

She pulled out her phone and looked through the address book, finally coming to a number she rarely called. She had memories of strange birthday gifts from a faraway land, and crackling phone calls on Christmas. In the back of her mind were fading memories of a tall blonde man who always seemed to know her better than she knew him. It had been years now since she'd last seen him, but (her mother had insisted) this was big enough to warrant at least a simple phone call. She pressed the button, and put the phone up to her ear.

It rang twice before a man answered.

She swallowed. "It's Eleanor."

""Hello, darling," he replied with his Australian accent.

…


	9. The Waiting Room

Chasing Grace:

The Waiting Room

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

A/N: Sorry about the wait on this chapter! I'm stuck working on one of the chapters, and I usually try not to catch up my posting to the chapter I'm working on. Hopefully I can get in the groove soon and start cranking them out!

…

Cameron was having the week from hell.

It was all she could do to hold it together. The surgery had all gone smoothly enough, or so they had told her. But the worst part was the waiting game she had to play. There was no way of knowing for sure if he would be able to wake up.

His doctors, of course, told her that everything was as it should be, and that he should have no issues with waking when they took him off the coma drugs, but good odds and half-promises weren't enough.

Eating wasn't exactly on her priority list, and neither was sleeping. She had promised House that she would take care of herself, but it was all she could do to hold it together. To those couples who had spent a lifetime together, their twentysomething years didn't seem like much, but to Cameron, those were the years in her life that had counted, and she didn't know how to be without him anymore.

She just couldn't breathe until she saw those eyes open and heard her name from his lips.

…

The week passed excruciatingly slowly, but soon it was over, and the true test would commence.

They were going to wake him up.

She and one of the younger doctors stood vigil by his bedside after the coma drugs were stopped. She was nervous and fidgety, and the young doctor tried to calm her, though his English wasn't good enough to have a real conversation.

"The patient…" Cameron could tell he was struggling with the translation, "will not wake up yet. Can still sleep. Must rest."

Cameron understood, but it didn't relieve her worries. This was the moment of truth, but that moment stretched into hours, and then overnight. By noon the next day, she was beginning to lose hope.

The doctor who had kept vigil with her was long gone the night before, replaced by a different intern the next morning, one who reminded Cameron of herself back when she was an intern.

The young girl, only Eleanor's age, placed a comforting hand on her arm. "At his age it's likely that he will sleep for a while after getting off the drugs. The surgery can be hard on the body, and it often takes longer for our older patients to come off the coma drugs. There's no reason to lose hope," she said, her eyes bright and wide, full of sympathy and comfort.

Cameron nodded wanly. She hadn't slept a wink the night before, sitting in the chair beside his bed and waiting for a sign of movement, a sign of waking that had never come.

She sighed at the young woman and sat back in her chair, keeping vigil still.

…

Cameron would never forget the time—3:16 PM—that her husband returned to her.

It began with the fluttering of eyelashes, and Cameron was so overcome that she couldn't even signal the doctor. Then a gasping breath and a whisper—"Water."

The doctor heard that, and came quickly with a cup that she poured gently through his lips.

His fingers wiggled stiffly, and Cameron grasped them with her own. He turned towards her gingerly, his blue eyes focusing on her once again. "Allison," he said, and his raspy voice was filled with relief.

Tears overflowed from Cameron's eyes. "Greg," she choked out in a sob.

She held onto that hand like a lifeline as the head doctor on House's case came to examine him.

The man checked House's reflexes and memory, but the true test was yet to come.

"Do you feel any pain?" the doctor asked critically.

"Everywhere," House said, his voice beginning to sound normal. Cameron's heart plummeted.

"Except my leg," he added, giving Cameron a smile and a wink that warmed her heart and caused the tears to threaten to overflow again.

Doctors were in and out all afternoon and evening, and Cameron stayed through them all. She refused to let House out of her sight again. She didn't want to get some sleep despite her exhaustion, for fear that when she returned this would all be a dream.

Finally, late in the evening, House had convinced his wife to go back to the hotel for some sleep. "I'm tired too," he claimed. "You should sleep while I sleep so we can maximize our time together." 

She finally gave in, releasing his hand reluctantly and getting up from the spot she had spent most of the past week.

But when she went to stand, she felt unsteady, and it seemed the world was tilting upwards to meet her…

…

Cameron regained consciousness to the sound of her husband yelling.

"No, absolutely not!" He sounded furious. "If you want her in a bed you can bring one in here! She's not leaving this room!"

Cameron's vision cleared, and realization came to her. She had passed out, and was now on what she thought might be a gurney. "I'm fine," Cameron said, and tried to sit up. Black spots danced in her vision at her attempt. "I was just tired."

"Fine?" House raged. "When they knocked me out I told you to take care of yourself and look at you! You probably lost ten pounds during the week! Of course you passed out, you're not eating anything!"

Tears pricked at Cameron's eyes. "How could I stomach food when I didn't know if you were going to wake up?"

One of the nurses standing with the gurney nervously interrupted in his thick French accent. "Madame, we need to—"

"Bring her a bed in this room!" House demanded. "She is NOT leaving!"

The two nurses fearfully began to scurry away. "And bring her something to eat for goodness sake!" he called after them.

House turned to his wife. "Allison, lay down," he commanded.

She did as he asked, but not without her own comment. "I'll lay down if you agree to calm down. You could bleed out or stroke! You know you can't be screaming like that after surgery."

"Fine," he conceded, knowing she was right.

They both lay silent for a few minutes, with the consistent rhythmic beat of the heart monitor as the only sound in the room.

"Still no pain?" Cameron asked quietly.

"Still no pain."

…


	10. Interlude

Chasing Grace:

Interlude

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

A/N: Sorry about the wait on this one! I got stuck writing a chapter so my posting suffered a bit.

This isn't a full length chapter. As you can see by the title, it's just an interlude. But I hope to have another chapter up soon.

…

Robert Chase hung up the phone and walked out into the salty breeze that blew across the deck of his home in Melbourne, Australia. "I just got a call from Eleanor."

A small woman, tan with sandy brown hair was leaning on the railing. "What did she say?" she asked as she turned to look at him.

Chase put his arm around the woman, turning to look out over their balcony. "She's performing in New York in a month. She invited us to go."

The woman looked to him with a surprised expression. "Are you going?"

Chase sighed. "She's my daughter, Kate."

They both turned back to gaze out over the balcony. Robert Chase had become a successful surgeon in Melbourne, and his home was a testament to that. It's proximity to the beach filled it with the smells and sounds of sand and surf—things he had missed dearly when he lived in the States. This was his home, his sanctuary. He had a wife here, two amazing stepdaughters, and soon, a grandchild. He had a great life.

But he paid for it dearly. His own daughter hardly knew him at all. He blamed himself entirely for it. If only he'd gone to visit more often, called more persistently, actually brought her to Australia like he said he would. Life has a way of getting away from you, he thought. Now she was an adult, and the invitation extended was likely little more than a courtesy.

But now that she had called, he couldn't imagine not being there…

"You're thinking too hard," Kate said, stroking the side of his face. Her mouth curved into a half-smile. "What's going on inside that head of yours?"

"Just thinking about how much I screwed up when it comes to my daughter," he said flatly. Kate's smile dropped.

"Listen to me," she commanded, pulling him to look at her. "You're human. We all are. People make mistakes. You can still fix this one, though."

Chase looked at her incredulously. "I can't go back in time and suddenly be there for her entire childhood," he said sarcastically.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course not. But you can go to this concert thing. Talk to her. And then don't stop talking to her. When you come home write her through email. After you've been talking a bit, invite her down here, like you'd always promised."

Chase stared off into the distance for a moment, thinking? Was she right? Could he fix it so easily?

"It might take a little time," she added gently. "For her to trust you and get to know you. But I promise it will be worth it in the end."

She looked up at him and smiled, and he smiled back. "Guess I should go book my flight."

Kate grinned. "Atta boy."

…


	11. The Search

Chasing Grace:

The Search

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

The next few weeks involved House's recovery, and an initial bout of physical therapy. The doctors performed tests to make sure he was recovering properly, and everything seemed to be going as it should be. House was busy, but any time he could spare was spent making sure Cameron was eating and sleeping properly. And with House on the mend, she was.

House realized he hadn't been paying enough attention. She had always been thin, but over the past few weeks—not just while he had been asleep—her weight had been dropping dangerously.

In a way, House and Cameron were recovering together. And they realized how much they enjoyed spending this time together. They had each been so focused on everything that had been going on in their lives that they had only been able to scrape out small moments that were really for each other. They vowed to do better from then on.

As the days passed and House began to feel better and better, they were finally able to relax.

…

For the life of her, Eleanor House couldn't find her copy of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

She looked high and low in her apartment, finally coming to the conclusion that her mom probably put it away somewhere while she was "helping" clean her apartment a few months ago. She knew she would never find it again without help. She had to call Mom.

Just before dialing their home number, Eleanor remembered that her parents were visiting Ben in Scotland. There had been some sort of debacle about him not wanting to come home. She hadn't really been listening when her mom had mentioned it; she had been going over the fingerings for a particularly difficult portion of the concerto in her head.

She didn't care all too much if he wanted to stay in Scotland. Sure, she missed her little brother occasionally, but if he wanted to stay, then why not? Besides, if she ever went touring in Europe (which was what she really wanted to do, after all), she would have someone to visit.

She picked up the phone and dialed his apartment number, but a strange voice answered.

"Hello?" came a perky female voice.

Eleanor frowned. "I may have misdialed. Is this Ben House's number?"

"Oh, no, you haven't called the wrong number!" the strange voice replied. "He's right here. I'll get him."

"Hello?" came another voice, a more familiar one.

"Hey Ben!" she said, her smile carrying over on her voice. "I see you've kept yourself busy," she teased.

"You know me," he joked. "Always the ladies' man."

"So who is she?" Eleanor asked curiously. "New girlfriend?"

Ben cleared his throat. "Not exactly, El… Her name is Lily. She's my fiancé."

Eleanor gasped. "Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

Ben hedged a bit. "Well, it all happened quickly, and I wanted to wait and tell Mom and Dad while they were here. Then they said you were so busy with your concert thingy that I didn't want to bother you."

"You don't think I would have had time to talk to my baby brother?" she asked.

He shrugged, though she couldn't see it over the phone. "You never seem to have much time when you're getting ready to perform."

Eleanor couldn't refute that. "So she's the reason Mom's freaking out about you not coming home?"

"I think she kind of got over that when she actually came here and met Lily. She's amazing." Eleanor smiled to herself. Her brother was obviously smitten.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Ben." She paused. "Speaking of our parents, are they around? I needed to ask Mom something."

Ben spoke offhandedly. "They went home a few weeks ago. You must have forgotten."

Eleanor paused, furrowing her brow. "No, Ben, they told me they wouldn't get home until the morning of the concert. That's three weeks away."

Now it was Ben's turn to contemplate. He was sure they had said they were going home! He drove them to the airport himself.

"Are you sure they said they were going home?" Eleanor had to ask.

"I'm sure," he said firmly.

They were both silent for a moment. "They must have lied to at least one of us," Ben mused, already trying to figure out the puzzle.

"But why would they lie about this?" Eleanor asked, getting concerned.

"Maybe they just stayed on vacation for a while, by themselves," Ben suggested. "Or maybe they decided not to come home at the last minute."

Eleanor shook her head emphatically. "No, they told me before they went to visit you. And they wouldn't lie about it if it was just vacation! They don't lie about trivial things, Ben." She sounded worried.

"Here," Ben began, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "I'll call Mom's phone and you call Dad's. I'll call you back in 5."

"Okay," Eleanor agreed nervously. "Talk to you in a few."

She hung up the phone and stared at it. At this point she didn't even remember what she had originally called about. All she could think of was her parents, and what was so big that they had to lie about it.

She dialed her dad's number, and nothing happened. The phone was off and went straight to voicemail. While she was at it, she also called their home number, which had no answer. At this point, Eleanor was in a panic. She was glad when the five minutes were up and Ben's number flashed across her phone's display.

"No answer at home and Dad's phone is off," she answered breathlessly. "Did you get Mom?"

"Her phone is off too," he said, beginning to sound worried as well.

"I want to drive home and see if I can find anything out," Eleanor said, sounding determined.

"El, what about your rehearsals?" Ben asked, realizing that she was probably too worried to have remembered.

"It's Saturday," she replied. "I'm off all afternoon. I'm going."

"You're freaking out. You shouldn't be driving," he argued back. "Call Wilson, see if he knows anything. If he doesn't at least he can go to the house."

She sighed. "Fine. I'll call Wilson."

"I'll keep you updated," she promised as she hung up the phone.

She dialed quickly, having memorized the number years before. Wilson answered on the third ring.

"James Wilson," he answered professionally.

"Wilson!" Eleanor replied urgently. "This is Eleanor."

Wilson sat up straighter at his desk. "What's wrong?"

It all came out in one big tumble of words. "My parents lied to Ben and told him they'd be home, and lied to me and told me they'd be with him, and now no one can find them!" she said in a rush.

"Okay, calm down," he said, then took a moment to take in her words. "They're not in Scotland?" he asked.

"They told you that too?" Eleanor cried. "That's it. I'm coming home to see what I can find," she said firmly.

"No, Eleanor, stay in New York! Let me do it," Wilson insisted. "Now is there a hide-a-key or something at their house?"

"You don't have a key?" Eleanor asked incredulously.

Wilson slumped down in his chair. "I lost it."

Eleanor sighed. "You know my dad, Wilson! He'd never leave a key out," she said miserably.

"Then I'll break in," he insisted. "That's what he would do."

"No, Wilson!" Eleanor said emphatically. "The alarm system will go off."

"Damn it," Wilson swore in a low breath.

"That's it," Eleanor said finally. "I'm coming down there and no one can stop me."

"Eleanor, you don't sound like you're in any condition to drive right now," Wilson said rationally.

"You can't stop me from coming, Wilson." He could hear her moving around, her keys jingling.

"You'll get in an accident. New York traffic isn't a joke, Eleanor," he replied sternly.

"Then how do you expect me to get home?" she asked. He could hear in her voice that she was close to tears. "I am _not_ taking the train."

"Jack just moved into his new apartment yesterday. He'd drive you in a heartbeat. I'll call him myself," Wilson insisted.

Eleanor dropped down into a chair, defeated. "Okay," she said softly.

…

Wilson hadn't lied. Jack was there within minutes to take her home. In spite of traffic, they made it back in record time. They didn't talk much on the drive; Jack knew better than to attempt to make small talk.

Eleanor didn't notice his concern for her, the extra care he took. From an outside perspective it was easy to see how much he cared for the woman, but it was all lost on Eleanor.

When they reached home, Eleanor barked directions. "You look at the mail and I'll check their computers."

She noticed that her mom had taken her laptop to wherever they had gone, but her dad's was still on the desk. Like any computer-literate child, she knew her dad's password (wilsonisgay), and easily opened up his email.

She saw a long correspondence from a French sender. It appeared to be from a hospital. Eleanor's heart skipped a beat. "I think I found something," she called. Jack came rushing in and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly as she read through it.

After reading the entire correspondence, Eleanor closed her eyes, tears pricking at them. Her father had gone to a hospital halfway across the world for a dangerous procedure without telling either of them. For all she knew, he could be dying.

She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Ben?" she began. "He's at a hospital in Paris."

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Some procedure for his leg, I think," Eleanor said, a bit unsure. "It sounded dangerous, Ben," she continued, upset.

"Okay, calm down," Ben said. "If he weren't alright, we would have heard by now."

"I guess you're right," she admitted. "I got the hospital's phone number from the email. We can call them and hopefully find out about Mom and Dad."

"Okay, but you have to talk to them. You took French in high school."

Eleanor laughed, her heart feeling lighter for a moment in spite of the situation. "Yes, a high school course definitely qualifies me to speak French to natives," she replied sarcastically.

"Hey, don't you think I have forgotten where you went with Grandma Blythe's money!" he asserted. "I'm sure you practiced your French for at least a year before visiting, and knowing you, miss perfect, you still speak it flawlessly."

"I spent more time in Italy than in France," she reminded him.

"My argument still stands, and you know it!" Ben replied triumphantly.

Eleanor sighed, knowing he had won. Jerk.

She grudgingly dialed the number, adding the hospital's line to their call. It rang several times, long enough for them to wonder if someone would answer at all, but soon enough a voice came across the line. "Bonjour, comment peux j'aidez-vous?"

"Bonjour," Eleanor began. Sure enough, she asked about her father in flawless French.

Ben paid little attention until he realized that his sister sounded like she was begging. "S'il vous plaît, je vous prie!" she pleaded.

After a response from an annoyed sounding French nurse, her tone changed. "Merci, merci tellement!"

"What was that all about?" Ben asked when the nurse went off the line.

"She wouldn't give me any information," Eleanor said. "It's against policy. But she agreed to connect us with the phone in his room."

And, as if on cue, the phone started ringing.

Eleanor sucked in a breath. The ringing filled both House children with nervous tension until a gruff voice came across the line. "Hello?"

Eleanor spoke first, her voice wavering. "Dad?"

…


	12. The Truth

Chasing Grace:

The Truth

…

A/N: I'm so sorry about all the long delays! I've been having a lot of trouble writing the past few months. I'm just now starting to get back into it, so there will probably still be some significant delays in my story. But I refuse to abandon a story, so there will be an ending eventually, I promise!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

House and Cameron were enjoying their afternoon together in House's hospital room when the phone rang.

They looked at each other oddly as it continued to ring. No one had this number. No one knew they were here.

House tentatively reached over and picked up the phone. "Hello?" he answered in his gravelly voice.

Cameron didn't hear the voice on the other end of the line, but she heard House's response. In the smallest voice, "Eleanor?"

Cameron gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. "Speakerphone," she instructed her husband as soon as she had gathered her wits about her.

"Eleanor, this is Mom," she said immediately after her husband had turned on the speaker. "You're on speakerphone."

Silence for a moment, then a sob. "Mom, why didn't you tell us?" she cried.

Cameron felt tears pricking at her eyes. All she wanted to do was run home and embrace her daughter. House put a hand on her arm in comfort, and she gave him a slight smile in return.

"We wanted to protect you, El," Cameron said, impassioned. "You had enough to deal with without worrying about Dad too."

"I saw you the day you flew out of New York, and you didn't even tell me then! What if that was the last time I saw Dad?" Eleanor's voice wavered.

"It won't be," House spoke up firmly. "My doctors say I'm coming along on schedule. We'll be back for your concert, Eleanor. I promised you I would be there, and I will."

Eleanor was too choked up to respond, too upset and too relieved. Jack kept his hand on her shoulder in a show of solidarity and comfort.

"Have you spoken to your brother?" Cameron asked.

There was a voice clearing it's throat. "I'm on the line," Ben said uncomfortably.

"Ben, I'm so sorry," Cameron said, wishing so much that she could reach out to both of her children and show them how sorry she really was.

Eleanor, remembering now that Jack was still with her, thought about Wilson. "Wilson is worried too, Mom."

House hung his head. "You told him?"

"Not yet," Ben said. "He only knows that we couldn't find you."

"I'll go call him now," Jack said softly to Eleanor. He gave her shoulder a squeeze, then stepped out of the room. Eleanor was surprised to realize that she missed his comforting presence immediately.

"Was that Jack?" Cameron asked, confused.

"He drove me home," Eleanor explained.

Cameron shook her head. "I think I need to hear this from the beginning."

"I'd like to hear it, too," House said. "How exactly did we get busted, anyways?"

…

By the end of the story the family was talking and laughing. It wasn't a funny story by any means, but they were all so happy that things were alright that relief had colored their vision. Ben had to go, so they were going to end the call, but Cameron had one more thing to tell Eleanor.

"Eleanor, that sheet music you were looking for? It's in the left-hand drawer under your bookshelves."

Eleanor couldn't repress a smile. "Thanks, Mom."

The drive back to New York was much more lively than the drive down. Jack and Eleanor chatted and laughed amiably. Very little could bring down Eleanor's mood.

When the car arrived in front of Eleanor's apartment, she gave him a hug in thanks. "I really appreciate you driving all the way back to Princeton. You took so much time out of your day for me! You didn't have to do that," she said earnestly.

Jack smiled, his eyes holding a laugh. "Of course I did! I couldn't have let you go off by yourself the way you were! Anyways, I'm glad to see you smiling again."

Eleanor blushed pink and turned to exit the car.

"Oh, one more thing," Jack added as an afterthought. "My parents will be in the city next weekend. I know you have rehearsal on Fridays so I won't ask you about that night, but would you like to come to dinner with us Saturday?"

She nodded tentatively. "Sure. I'd love to." She gave him a brilliant smile, and turned to go. "See you Saturday."

Jack smiled back dreamily. "See you."

Eleanor took a few steps towards her building, but was shocked to see her conductor on the doorstep. "Mr. Montsoya! I mean, Hector," she corrected herself quickly. "What are you doing here on a Saturday?"

"A more apt question would be to ask you where you've been!" he exclaimed. "I would have expected you to be locked up in your apartment with your piano so close to the concert."

"I had a family emergency," she said absently.

"Everything is fine, I hope?" he asked with a tentative smile.

"Oh, yes, everything is fine now," Eleanor responded. "Why don't you come inside with me?" she asked.

"With pleasure," Hector replied, and followed her in.

She set down her things and headed to the kitchen. "Would you like some juice or coffee or anything?" she asked hurriedly.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"So what brings you here?" she asked him, settling down in a chair with a bottled water.

"I have something for you," he said with a smile.

Eleanor cocked her head to the side. "What is it? Not last-minute changes to the score, I hope?" she joked.

Hector laughed. "No, nothing like that! It's more of a personal gift to my star performer." He grinned.

"I've seen the copy of the concerto you lug around. It's in so many pieces it's a wonder you can keep the pages in order!" he joked. "I thought you'd like to have a new copy, all in one piece." He handed it to her, wrapped in plain brown paper.

Eleanor lifted one end of the paper slowly, unwrapping it carefully. It was, as he had said, a new copy of the concerto—_her_ concerto, as she'd begun to think of it.

She looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you, Hector. It's beautiful. But why didn't you give it to me at rehearsal? It seems like you went to an awful lot of trouble."

He grinned. "Oh, a pretty lady is never trouble," he joked, making Eleanor blush nervously. "But in all seriousness, I wouldn't want the others feeling more jealous than they already are. You're a star, Eleanor, and they know it."

Hector glanced at his watch. "Well, I should be going now. See you on Monday morning, bright and early."

Eleanor stood to walk him to the door.

"By the way," Hector began interestedly, turning towards her, "Who was that man who dropped you off?" he asked.

Eleanor shrugged, trying to appear more nonchalant than she felt. "Just a family friend. He drove me home this afternoon."

Hector nodded, mentally filing the information away. "Well, should you be needing any more rides, my dear, I'll be available." And with an enigmatic smile, he swept out of the apartment.

Eleanor sat down in her chair to look again at the new copy of the concerto Hector had given her. Truth be told, she had probably needed a new one. The old copy was her father's, and she had only hung onto it so long out of sentimental value. Perhaps it was time to put it away. To keep it safe.

Eleanor took the old copy and carefully slid it into the drawer, right on top of her Moonlight Sonata.

…


	13. The Surprise

Chasing Grace:

The Surprise

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Wilson was seated on the couch, fuming. "I can't believe House lied to us."

Cuddy put her arm around him, a small smirk crossing her face. "Oh, I can believe that. What I _can't_ believe is that Allison went along with it."

Wilson reached into his pocket violently and pulled out his cell phone. "That's it—I can't wait anymore. I'm calling!"

Cuddy simply shrugged, allowing him to make the call. Jack had given Wilson the hospital's number as well as House's room number when he'd called, so Wilson had no trouble getting in contact.

As soon as Wilson heard the phone pick up, he began his rant.

"What were you thinking? I've stood by you while you've done stupid things, but this is unbelievable! How could you?"

As soon as he paused for breath, a voice came on the line. "Wilson!" Cameron practically yelled into the phone. "This isn't Greg. It's Allison."

"Allison?" Wilson said, caught off guard.

She sighed. "He's in physio."

Cuddy reached for the phone. "Let me talk to her."

Wilson frowned at her. "But I'm talking."

Cuddy grabbed the phone out of his hand before he could react. She grinned. "Not anymore." She turned to speak into the phone. "Hey, Allison. Sorry about that."

Wilson rolled his eyes and wandered off.

"Wilson sounded more than a little upset," Cameron noted.

Cuddy sighed, glancing towards the door Wilson had gone through. "He is. He's hurt that he wasn't told anything. House means so much more than he's willing to admit, you know. To both of us." Her voice wobbled slightly. "Thank goodness he's okay, Allison."

…

"You know what we could do this weekend?" Lily asked with a hint of a smile.

Ben shook his head. "What could we do?" The pair sat on the couch, his fingers just brushing her waist.

"We could go visit your parents in Paris," she said softly.

Ben just stared at her. "Isn't that pretty far for a weekend trip? Won't we need plane tickets?"

Lily's smile grew and she giggled slightly. "Silly American," she joked, and he poked her in retaliation for her teasing. "We can take the train," she explained.

He looked at her oddly. "We can take a train across the English Channel?"

She nodded, a grin playing on her lips. "Not across it…under it."

That night they were on the overnight train to London, and would be up early to change trains to travel to Paris.

Ben was sure that Lily was more excited about this than he was, though of course he would be glad to see his dad. "It will be such a great surprise!" she squealed with delight when they had planned it all out.

This is why he needed her around.

…

Cameron sighed. The weeks of tests and therapies were wearing on them both. The excitement of having survived the surgery and subsequent coma had worn off, and the reality of these next few weeks had greeted them with a vengeance. Weekdays, weekends, none of it had any meaning anymore. The only day that meant something was the 18th—the day House would be released and they could finally hop on their flight home.

House was snapping at her. She understood. He was frustrated. He wasn't making progress as fast as he would like. Being House, he wanted to be able to do everything the first day he was up. Cameron was trying to accommodate him, but it was hard. They were together every day, in a monotony of rest and rehab, and they needed a break. They needed home.

She was alone in the room when a knock came on the door. "Come in," she called.

When the door swung open to reveal her son, Cameron was up like a shot. Her arms were around him before she could even process the idea that he was here.

When she finally pulled away, she was crying. "Mom!" Ben exclaimed worriedly.

Cameron wiped at the tears haphazardly. "I'm sorry, Ben. You shouldn't have to deal with this." She produced a shaky smile.

"It's alright, Mom. I know it's been hard," he replied, squeezing her shoulder lightly. It was all Cameron could do to keep from falling into his arms again, but she held back. She was the parent, he was the child. No matter how much he protested that it was okay, she was determined that she would stay strong for him.

Still, she couldn't help but tear up a little as she looked into those bright blue eyes that so mirrored his fathers'. He was the best of both of them, she knew. Both logical and moral, intelligent but understanding. His eyes, her hair. He was so grown up already, and yet he could go so much further.

She smiled, and finally asked the question they'd all been waiting for. "How did you get here?"

Ben's lips broadened into a grin. "We took the train! Lily planned it all out," he said, turning his head towards the redhead who stood to his side.

Cameron's smile turned towards the girl, who stepped forward. "Ben told me what you've been going through, and it sounds so awful," she said earnestly. "Please tell me if there's anything I can do to help!"

Cameron took Lily's hands in hers and squeezed them. "You've already brought my son to me. That's all I can ask." And before she realized what was happening, she was hugging the girl—the woman—who would soon be her daughter.

She wanted to love her, not to resent her for taking her son away, across the ocean and far from home. She was working on it, and this was step one.

As the two women pulled back and smiled at each other, it was Ben who spoke. "So, where's Dad?"

…

Cameron lay with her husband in his hospital bed, curled up at his side. Ben and Lily had just left.

"It was a good weekend, don't you think?" she asked her husband, her head against his shoulder.

House reached down and squeezed her hand. "The best," he said simply.

A smirk crossed Cameron's face. "You've gone soft," she teased.

"Have not," he argued indignantly, now dropping her hand like a hot potato.

Her grin grew. "Oh yes you have! When you first hired me, all those years ago, would you ever have admit that a weekend with your wife and kid would be the best ever?"

House _harrumphed_ and turned away from her on the bed. "Don't tell. I have a reputation to protect."

Cameron's smile turned sweet as she snaked an arm around him. "Babe, I don't think it's been much of a secret the past twenty-five or so years. Since, oh… the first time you brought El into the office?"

"The nurses are still afraid of me," he grumbled.

Cameron laughed. "God knows why. You're basically a big teddy bear these days," she teased with a kiss at the back of his neck.

House turned towards her, nearly rolling over her in the process. She started to move away but he held her close, holding her almost nose-to-nose with him.

His bright blue eyes bored into hers for a moment before his lips moved to her ear. Hot breath sent shivers down her spine as he spoke. "You're a bad, bad girl. Soon as I get out of this hospital, I think some punishment is in order."

Cameron could feel herself getting damp with just the mere suggestion. It had been far too long since they'd been able to…

His eyes were boring into hers again, and her breath hitched. "That a threat?" she pushed herself to say, her breathing slightly labored.

"No," he replied with a slight shake of the head. "A promise."

…


	14. The First Time

Chasing Grace:

The First Time

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Eleanor was pacing. This was the biggest opening night of her life, and she only had two shots at it.

Two tries was more than she was sometimes given, she reminded herself. But this was so much bigger than those concerts. How many people got to perform at Carnegie Hall—to headline, even? This was her night, her big chance.

If she did well tonight and tomorrow—she could hardly dare to think of it—she might have a chance to tour with a symphony, perhaps in Europe! The thought excited her more than she could say.

If she could only get these nerves under control.

The sheet music sat on top of the counter in the dressing room. She had only used it in rehearsal a couple of times so it would be in perfect condition for the performances. It seemed to be staring at her, reminding her of what she had to do tonight.

A knock came on the door. "Come in," she called, still pacing.

As she expected, Hector entered. "Ready for your big night?" he asked, sounding as calm as still waters.

All she could do was give him a tentative smile.

He strode towards her. "You're going to be perfect, Eleanor, I promise you that. In technical skill, you're above and beyond any pianist I've worked with before," he confided. Eleanor relaxed a little, but still couldn't hide her worrying.

Hector grabbed her wringing hands. "Eleanor, look at me," he said firmly.

His eyes were brown, almost black, like bitter chocolate. His hands were relaxed as if this was a day on the beach, not the biggest concert of her life. He spoke. "How many times must I tell you that you're a star before you believe it? I can't have you worrying all the time."

She shook her head. "If I didn't worry I would never practice."

He dropped her hands, turning away as he spoke. "But there is no practice tonight, my dear. Just one beautiful performance, and one tomorrow, and everyone will see how wonderful we are."

"What about you?" Eleanor ventured. "Are you nervous?"

He turned back to her with a smile on his face. "Not at all, my dear. Not at all. You know why?" He stepped closer to her, almost too close. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "Because I invest in the best."

He quickly turned and stepped towards the door. "Think on what I've said. You still have twenty minutes to stage call." With his hand on the knob, he turned back to her for a moment. "Oh, and you look ravishing." He winked.

When the door closed behind him, she fell into a chair. Discomfort twisted in her stomach. She was inclined to believe him until he mentioned her appearance. Flattery meant nothing to her. She only wanted to hear she was good if it was true.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to focus. She mustn't think about what was said. She must only remember the music.

…

The applause rang out as she took her bow and stepped up to the piano. Her legs felt like jelly. This was so big; she couldn't get it out of her head. She opened her new, perfect copy of the concerto to the first page and smoothed it down. It was time.

Hector winked to her and began conducting. He gave the cue to the strings first, and then finally to her. She began playing.

Her fingers knew every note, but her mind wasn't there. She couldn't stop thinking about what Hector had said, about her parents in Paris, and whether her birth father would be coming to the show tomorrow night.

Technically she was perfect, but her heart wasn't in it. She tried to focus, to be part of the music, but she just couldn't. Eleanor didn't know why.

When it finally ended, she was congratulated, given flowers and hugs, but she went back to her dressing room feeling like a failure. It wasn't her best. It was good, but not good enough to tour in Europe. Her life's dream hinged on tomorrow now, in a way she didn't want to think about.

She shed no tears, but when her fellow orchestra members asked if she wanted to go out and celebrate, she gave them a fake smile and told them she needed to go home and rest up.

…

When she went home she didn't answer the phone. Hector called, her mom and dad, Wilson, even Ben called. She wanted to talk to someone, but she felt like such a failure she couldn't bear to do it.

She knew what they'd say: _You're too hard on yourself… I'm sure you did great… no one else will notice… there will be other opportunities…_

She just didn't want to hear it.

What she wanted wasn't comfort, it was a distraction. A distraction that didn't judge her, that didn't give her empty platitudes or pointless reassurances.

She decided to do something she hadn't done in years, something her mom used to do when Eleanor had felt ill or upset. She dug out an old stuffed animal, the one her dad had bought for her when she had just been born. It was a stuffed elephant, and she brought it with her everywhere she had moved. It usually stayed put away in a drawer, but tonight was an exception.

Then she went to get a movie, an old one, as usual. She curled up on the couch with her elephant and movie, and lost herself in that world. When she was a child, her mom would sit with her, stroking her hair or holding Eleanor in her lap. She missed her mother desperately now, but she didn't want anyone else to know about tonight. She would get through this on her own, and tomorrow she would have another chance.

She didn't sleep well, but when morning came she still felt a little better, knowing that tomorrow was done with and today was a new opportunity. She would do better tonight, she was sure of it.

She had to.

…


	15. The Way Home

Chasing Grace:

The Way Home

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Neither House nor Cameron could hide their smiles as they finally boarded the plane for New York. Cameron slid into her window seat and smiled. They had been away from home for so long, and they couldn't wait to get back. On top of that, they would be going to see Eleanor perform tonight, and having dinner with their good friends.

After seating themselves, House leaned over to his wife. "Put the blanket over your lap," he whispered.

Cameron turned to look at him, confusion written on her features. "What? I don't need a blanket…"

House rolled his eyes exaggeratedly at his wife's apparent obliviousness. "Just do it!" he hissed.

Cameron's eyes widened. "You mean to… Greg, we're too old for this!" she whispered back in realization.

House leaned over to his wife, until he was practically nose-to-nose with her. "One way or another, I'm going to give you an orgasm on this flight. If you want the entire cabin to see, well, that's your decision," he said, leaning back in his seat and looking smug when he finished.

Cameron put the blanket over her lap.

Since they were in first class, the closest person to them was across the aisle, which Cameron was infinitely grateful for. The last thing she needed was to have to be even more secretive about it! It was going to be hard enough as it was.

Cameron waited in nervous anticipation until the plane took off. House was taking his sweet time, enjoying making her wait. In spite of her initial response, she was beginning to get wet just from the idea of him touching her beneath the blanket, unbeknownst to the rest of the flight. She watched him put down the tray tables, further hiding what they were going to be doing.

Finally, when the plane was in the air, he reached over to her. Cameron sighed happily as his fingers brushed over her, settling on the button of her jeans. He unbuttoned them and pulled the zipper down slowly. And then he slipped his fingers inside her underwear.

House suppressed a moan as he felt how wet and ready she was for him. He began moving his fingers up and down, sliding slowly along her opening. He wanted to take it nice and slow, tease her until she could stand it no longer.

Eventually he began to move his fingers in tiny circles around her clit. Cameron tried to control herself as she squirmed in her chair. Her breathing came quicker than before, but it wasn't enough to do more than tease her.

He kept moving slowly until she leaned over to him. "Get on with it already!" she whispered, her breathing labored.

House grinned at her. "As you wish."

With that, he suddenly reached a finger inside her. Cameron wasn't fast enough to stifle her gasp. She sent a glare his way, but she couldn't stay angry long. He moved to place another finger inside of her, grasping at her g-spot with his fingertips. It was all Cameron could do to keep from moaning and writhing in her seat.

As House was doing this, a flight attendant came by with a beverage cart. "Anything to drink?" she asked.

House glanced at his wife and could hardly keep from laughing. Her face was red and her breathing heavy. He turned back to the flight attendant. "Scotch for me, and white wine for my wife."

As soon as the attendant's back was turned, House flicked Cameron's clit with his thumb. Her eyes went unfocused as he moved his fingers again, faster than before.

He stopped his movements immediately when the flight attendant returned with the drinks. "Thank you," he said calmly as he took the wine and scotch, one after the other. Cameron gave him a dirty look. It just wasn't fair that he could be so damn cool about it while she could hardly keep from crying out!

When the attendant moved on, House continued, bringing her closer and closer to her orgasm. When the pilot came on over the loudspeaker, House knew this was his chance. It was then that he made one last push, bringing Cameron to her peak of pleasure. She let out a soft, breathy moan as she finished, her voice muffled by the intercom static.

When her breathing was returning to normal, House leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Expect more of that tonight when I get you to the hotel."

Cameron's breath hitched. How was she going to wait?

…

Wilson and Cuddy picked them up at the airport, and Cuddy couldn't help but shed a few uncharacteristic tears, which set Cameron off immediately.

"Women," House said with an eye roll.

Wilson didn't hug him (they both thought themselves far too manly for such things), but he stuck out a hand to shake. For once he didn't lecture. He simply said, "It's good to have you home."

They dropped their suitcases off at the hotel and headed to dinner. Cameron had put it out of her mind in the previous weeks, but she realized that the main topic at dinner would be whether she was going to take Cuddy up on her job offer or not.

The problem was that she hadn't decided. She wanted to help Cuddy out—she knew this would be a favor to her—but she didn't know if she wanted the job. She'd been working in immunology for so many years now, and it was comfortable. Cuddy's job was busy and full of stress. But what she feared most of all is that it would cause trouble at home.

She recalled the one time she had filled in for Cuddy before. It had been so many years ago now, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. She couldn't make herself stop House from doing things his way, and if she did, would they bring those arguments home? Arguing with him as his subordinate, that was one thing. Arguing with him as his equal was another, and they had gotten through that too.

But she really wasn't sure if he could stand her as his superior.

…

Inevitably, it happened.

"So," Cuddy began, "I know you've had a lot to think about, but have you considered my proposal yet?"

Cameron groaned inwardly. She didn't want to talk about it—didn't want to think about it! "I don't know, Lisa," she said finally. "I haven't had time to think about it, really."

"I understand, but I really need to know soon," Cuddy said gently.

"I'll get back to you by Monday. Promise," Cameron said, hoping desperately that she could make a decision by then.

Cuddy nodded, satisfied. "Good. We'll talk then." She smiled at her friend, then bent down to take another bite of risotto.

Cameron glanced furtively over at her husband. He seemed completely enthralled by his dish of ravioli, without a single glance in her direction. She furrowed her brow. Was he angry? Was something wrong?

…

"What's up?" she asked him, a concerned note in her voice as she climbed up on the hotel bed next to him. She had been waiting to ask this question ever since dinner.

He looked at the ceiling instead of her when he spoke. "Am I the reason you haven't taken Cuddy's job offer?"

Cameron's first instinct was to lie. "Of course not," she said comfortingly.

House rolled his eyes. "You think you would have learned not to try lying to me by now."

She brushed a hand across his cheek. "Everybody lies."

He turned to look at her. "You could have been the head of a hospital somewhere if you hadn't stayed at Princeton-Plainsboro to be with me."

She couldn't deny that he spoke the truth. "I don't believe it was a choice. I could never leave you willingly. You know that."

"If I was less difficult—"

"If you were less difficult you wouldn't be you and I never would have married you," she cut him off, smiling. "You didn't hold me back. You gave me things that mean so much more than running some hospital somewhere."

"But I did hold you back." It was a statement, not a question.

Cameron's smile dropped. "I don't think of it that way."

House was silent for a moment before finally deciding to speak. "Take the job, Allison. You'll be great. Everyone knows it."

Cameron looked at him, concerned now. "But you don't want me to."

He shrugged. "You should take it."

"Can you handle it? Me being your boss? Because I know that's what this is all about."

House looked at her, a smile playing on his lips. "If I make trouble, just… kick me or something."

Cameron laughed, and snuggled up to his side. "I think I have a better way to deal with naughty employees," she said, her voice now husky.

"And what's that?" House replied, his face just inches from his wife's.

"I think you can guess," she said breathily, just before she kissed him.

Eventually House broke the kiss, smirking at her. "Well that's no deterrent at all."

Cameron grinned, but her only response was to climb on top of them.

For House and Cameron, it was a good night. And in the morning, Cameron accepted the job, for better or for worse.

…


	16. The Big Night

Chasing Grace:

The Big Night

…

A/N: Yep, I suck at updating. Good news though! I finally finished this story. So the rest should be coming in reasonably quick succession. I promise. :)

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Eleanor shuffled the music on top of the piano, straightening it so that it would look nice when the curtains were finally drawn. Her nerves, if possible, were heightened tonight. She had one more chance, and she had to make it perfect.

She jumped when a voice came from behind her. "What's this?"

She turned to see Hector staring at her sheet music—not the brand new music that he had bought her, but the well-used version he had replaced.

"Oh," she said with a slight blush. "My dad's coming tonight. This music was his." She looked down at her feet. "I wanted to use it for him."

He sniffed a bit, looking displeased.

"I don't mean it as any insult to you," she rushed on to say. "The music you gave me was wonderful…" she trailed off, looking nervously up at him.

"No matter," he said, the look of displeasure gone as soon as it had appeared. He patted her arm briskly. "I'm sure your father will be very proud. Now, my star," he said charismatically, "you must get ready." He gave her a gentle shove towards her dressing room. She gave him a shy smile as she closed the door.

…

Cameron and House met Wilson and Cuddy at the doors. "There you are!" Wilson said, smiling. "We have great seats. If only Jack would get here already!"

"I didn't know Jack was coming," Cameron said conversationally.

Wilson shrugged. "He said he wouldn't miss it."

Cuddy and Cameron exchanged looks at that, remembering their previous conversations about Jack and Eleanor. Cameron fervently hoped he wasn't still harboring some crush oh the girl. She just didn't want to see him get his heart broken again and again.

The four of them scanned the crowd, until Cuddy gasped.

"You found him?" Cameron asked, looking over.

"No…" Cuddy said, a look of shock on her face. She pointed.

Out in the crowd was Robert Chase. Older than any of them remembered, but undeniably him.

Cameron's mouth gaped. "Well… Eleanor said she invited him, but I never expected… The flight is something like 18 hours!" She recovered from the shock after a moment. "I suppose we better go say hello."

House scowled slightly, but made no comment. He followed his wife closely as the foursome went to greet Eleanor's biological father.

"Robert!" Cameron called, and Chase looked over. "I'm so surprised to see you!" House put a protective arm around his wife's waist when they stopped to talk.

Chase moved as if to hug her, but with a glance at House, shook her hand instead. "I'm surprised you found us in this crowd! There are a lot of people here!"

Cuddy and Wilson were right behind them in arriving. "Dr. Chase!" Cuddy said, smiling. "It's a pleasure to see you again!" Wilson simply smiled and nodded his greetings from behind her.

"Oh—" Chase said with a start, "Where are my manners? Everyone, this is Kate." He pulled a sandy-haired woman forward. "My wife."

There was a beat of silence before everyone clamored to introduce themselves. "Oh, Robert, I remember hearing that you married! Nice to meet you, Kate, I'm Allison, and this is Greg," Cameron said, referring to herself and her husband, who still had a death grip on her waist.

Cuddy and Wilson also introduced themselves, and the group continued with small talk until another figure appeared.

"Sorry I'm late," Jack said, hurrying up to meet them. "Got caught up in grading papers," he said with a half smile.

"We still have plenty of time to take our seats," Cuddy reassured him.

"Did Eleanor reserve you your tickets as well?" Cameron asked Chase. "If so, we're likely seated near each other." When Chase nodded, House grumbled under his breath, soft enough that only his wife heard.

"You take your seats," Cameron said to their companions. "We'll be just a moment." She dragged House off a ways so they could talk.

"You have a problem?" she asked firmly.

"No problem at all," he replied. "What gave you that idea?"

She glared at him. "You've been gripping my waist so hard I can hardly breathe, and you haven't said a word since Robert showed up."

He shrugged. "I don't like thinking of him near you is all."

Cameron softened. "Believe me, he won't ever be near me again. You know I haven't had any feelings for him since long before El was born."

House grumbled. "You don't have to be so damn _friendly_…"

Cameron looked at him sympathetically. "I owe it to our daughter to be friendly to him, Greg. It's not fair to her if I don't give him a chance to be her father."

She began to take his hand and lead him away, but she heard him speak under his breath. "_I'm_ her father."

She turned on her heel, and stepped close to him, speaking softer than before. "He'll never be half the father to her that you are, and she'll never love him like she loves you. You know that. But it's just not right for us to stop her from having a relationship with him. Please, Greg. Be civil. For her sake."

House nodded grudgingly.

Cameron smiled, looking relieved. "Come on," she said gently. "Let's find our seats."

…

Jack fidgeted with his program, waiting for Eleanor to enter the stage. It was strange to see her name on the program, headlining at the Carnegie Hall. She was someone he'd known nearly his whole life, someone he'd grown up with.

Before he could continue his line of thought, the orchestra began to enter. Once they had filed in, shuffling slowly to their seats, there she was.

She was in a long, sweeping gown of black, that dramatically contrasted with her pale skin. Her long curtain of hair swept down her back, swinging as she bowed and took her seat at the piano.

He held his breath as the conductor entered, and they started to play.

Watching her fingers dance across the keys was mesmerizing. She was in her own world; the music had come to life for her, and it was the only thing that mattered. He was certain he loved this version of Eleanor best.

She had forgotten herself entirely. She was one with the piano, with the music. He marveled at the speed at which her fingers flew, at the force, or precise softness, with which she could strike. He had always loved music, a trait he didn't share with his uncle, but he didn't have this kind of talent.

Yet he dreamed of playing with her, joining his cello with her piano in a weaving melody. To give him the chance to feel as if he, too, could make music like that.

Too soon, the concert was over, and she had disappeared from the stage. As those around him thundered their applause, he stared at the place she had been, enraptured.

…

Relief filled Eleanor's every vein as she collapsed in her dressing room.

This performance had been her at her best; she knew it. All her hopes, her dreams, had hinged on this one performance, and she had given it her best shot. With any luck, in a few months she'd be touring in Europe.

She smiled rapturously at herself in the mirror, but didn't give in to the temptation to do a victory dance. She needed to get changed, now; her family was waiting.

As she was reaching back to get the zipper of her dress, she heard slow applause behind her and she whirled around.

Hector was leaning on the doorframe. "Beautifully done, my star," He put an arm around her shoulders and turned her towards the mirror. "They will be talking about us everywhere," he said, his other arm making an arc to illustrate his point. "Brilliant." He turned, smiling at her. "How do you feel, my dear?"

"Tired," she said. A nervous smile crossed her lips, but her shoulders drooped as she realized the truth of her words.

"Ah, then you must go home and get some rest. But next weekend you must agree to come to dinner with me."

Eleanor's eyebrows jumped up. "I, uh…well," she fumbled for her words.

Hector smiled indulgently. "I'm told I'm quite charming, but this is the first time I've made a lady speechless!"

Eleanor looked alarmed. "You mean, like a date?" she asked, finally finding her voice.

He laughed. "Well, of course, my little songbird!"

"I don't think we… I really didn't think—" she stumbled again.

He looked at her pointedly. "Well why else do you think I've been doing so much for you?"

She looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

"You don't think you became leading lady on talent alone do you?" A hint of malice appeared behind his eyes, but Eleanor didn't detect it. "Come, you can't be that innocent, can you?"

The shock in her eyes contradicted him, and he laughed. "Well, all the better. I like a sweet one like yourself," he said, reaching up a hand to touch her face.

She slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me," she snapped, her voice shaking slightly.

Suddenly his charm was gone, replaced with anger. "How dare you," he hissed. "I made you what you are. I gave you fame, I gave you everything!"

Eleanor took a step back, but he stepped forward, not allowing her the space. "All I want is my due. You're nothing without me," he raged. "Nothing."

His glare terrified her. She glanced at the door, wondering if she would need to make a quick escape. But when she looked back, he had mastered himself.

"No matter," he said, both the anger and the charm gone. "I'll see myself out," he said coldly.

When he slipped out the door, she was shaking.

…

As soon as she exited the building, her parents caught up with her, as well as Cuddy, Wilson, Jack, and her biological father, Robert Chase.

She took the barrage of compliments with a faint smile, claiming tiredness as an excuse for her lack of enthusiasm.

When the group finally began to disperse, Jack lagged slightly behind with her as they walked to their cars.

"You were brilliant," he said admiringly. "Amazing."

"Thank you," she said softly. Honestly, she wasn't sure whether to believe it anymore.

"I know you said you were tired," Jack began, with a change in tone, "But I was wondering if you were up for getting some coffee?"

He glanced ahead of them. "All the old folks are going to bed. But if you're not doing the same, I'd love for you to join me."

Eleanor looked over, ready to accept, but she saw a familiar glint in his eyes.

"No!" she said, sounding alarmed. "I don't want to go anywhere with you. I mean, I'm going home," she said quickly. "I'm just tired." She sped up, catching up with her parents and leaving Jack behind, confused and hurt.

House immediately grabbed his daughter by the arm. "Eleanor. Walk with me."

He moved quickly away from what was left of the crowds, dragging her along for a moment before he spoke. "So what would possess you to react like that to the man you love?" he asked her bluntly.

"I don't love him, Dad!" she cried out, and he hushed her.

"I know. Figure of speech. No one forms attachments that fast. Well, except your brother. He got it from your mom. Don't ask." He paused, slowing down his strides. "But you do have feelings for him." He stopped suddenly, stilling her mouth with a finger before she could protest. "Don't lie. You know I can tell when you're lying."

Eleanor slumped against the wall of the concert hall. "It doesn't matter. I don't want to have to choose between him and my music! We'd both just end up getting hurt! I know I could never choose him," she said in a pleading voice.

Contemplatively, House spoke. "Did he ever ask you to?"

Eleanor looked indignant. "Well—no," she admitted, looking slightly puzzled.

House looked at her probingly. She spoke up again. "He didn't have to ask! I know it would come to that!" she cried.

"Have you talked to him about it?" he asked.

Eleanor shook her head. "Of course not. What's the point? He's just going to sit there and try to convince me. Like you are right now, as a matter of fact."

House sighed. He knew he needed to explain. When she was younger he had always tried to scare away her boyfriends or any guy she brought around. But the problem was that she never brought anyone around anymore. "Eleanor, I used to be like you."

She raised a disbelieving eyebrow. He clarified. "Not with music. With medicine. It was all that mattered to me. I pushed nearly everyone out of my life. I liked it better that way because then I didn't have to pursue what I thought were meaningless relationships."

Eleanor nodded, understanding him perfectly.

House looked off into the distance, remembering. "But, in spite of keeping busy and doing what I thought was what I wanted, I was miserable. Diagnostics became like a drug. Solving a case was a high, and I had to get a hit to keep from going under. But soon the highs weren't high enough. I self-medicated with vicodin and alcohol. Nothing could keep me happy, El. Not music, not medicine. Nothing worked for more than a few hours." He paused. "And because of all I had done, I had no one."

"I still love diagnostics. You know that. I still get a high from solving an impossible case. But what really brought any meaning into my life was your mother and you," he emphasized. "I would be dead right now if it wasn't for her. I would have given up, OD'd on vicodin, gotten alcohol poisoning… I never would have gotten the operation, El."

Eleanor listened with wide eyes, shocked and enthralled.

House turned back to face his daughter. "I'm not saying you should marry the guy or anything. I know marriage and kids isn't right for everyone, El. Hell, for most of my life it never would have worked for me. But you can't go pushing everyone out of your life that cares for you."

Eleanor dropped her head. She knew he was right. It hurt, but he was right.

He spoke gently. "You don't want to get in as deep as I was. Once you get to that point… you're lucky if people still come after you." He paused. "I got lucky. Your mother and Wilson are exceptional people. But I don't want your happiness to hinge on that kind of chance." He looked at Eleanor, his beautiful daughter. She wasn't his genetics, but damn it if she wasn't more his than anyone else's. She was so like him in some ways that it scared him. More than he wanted to admit.

He continued speaking. "If you love him—I know, I know, you said you don't," he said with a small eye roll, "Then talk to him. If he can handle it, the ups and downs, the long hours, the time away, then he's worth keeping around."

Eleanor nodded timidly, unable to look up at him.

"I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. I got lucky, I got _damn_ lucky, that your mother was persistent enough to stick around after everything I did."

Eleanor glanced up, intrigued. She knew there must be more of a story there, but this wasn't the time.

House grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her hesitant eyes. "I want better for you, Eleanor," he said earnestly. This was so unlike him, Eleanor thought, to be so open and reveal so much. "Give him a chance," House said softly. "Just—talk to him."

Eleanor nodded. She didn't want to—she _couldn't_—let him down. "I don't know if anything will come of it, but I promise I'll talk to him, Dad."

…


	17. The Apology

Chasing Grace:

The Apology

…

A/N: Sorry guys, I meant to have this out a lot sooner. When I looked it over I realized I wanted to make quite a few changes, but I kept putting it off. It's finally ready for public viewing however. Enjoy the Eleanor/Jack goodness!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

She was nervous as she pulled up to Jack's apartment building. She hadn't known where it was—she was forced to ask Wilson the address. She had never made any effort to know him, she realized.

Her legs were leaden as she stepped up to the door. She was all nerves. Talking wasn't exactly one of her strengths.

He answered the door after a few awkward beats, and opened it with a smile that dropped as soon as he saw her. "Why are you here, Eleanor?" he asked slowly.

Eleanor was shocked at her reception. He was clearly more hurt than she realized. He was normally so easygoing and forgiving, and he'd had days to get over the night at the Carnegie Hall.

Despite his reaction, he opened the door and let her in. She looked around, wondering what kind of secrets his apartment held about him. It was decorated in warm, comforting colors, and filled with books. His furniture was smooth, chocolate leather, the same color as his eyes.

"I came to apologize," she heard herself saying, as she stepped over the threshold.

He nodded cautiously and motioned to the sofa. "Coffee?" he asked. She agreed, knowing this was going to be a long talk.

When he handed her coffee and sat down across from her, she had to speak. If she waited, she knew she'd lose her nerve. "I—" she began haltingly, "I care about you."

She glanced at his face, which was an expressionless mask. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"I care about you a lot," she admitted, not daring to look at him. It was a huge admission coming from her. "But I can't choose you over my music," she finished.

She glanced up at Jack, who was staring intently into his coffee. "I'm going to Europe, you know."

He nodded, almost imperceptibly. She continued. "I accepted a position with the Orquestra de Cadaqués in Spain. I'll be moving around from place to place, and won't have leave to come home. It's impractical for me to have a boyfriend. I know you want this, but you don't understand what it would be like. You'd be miserable."

Only then did Jack look up. Eleanor breathed in sharply when she saw his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "No," he said. "No, Eleanor, it's you who doesn't understand. I love you."

Eleanor stared at him dumbly, misbelieving her ears.

"I always have," he added sadly. "Always."

Now it was Eleanor's turn to avoid his gaze. She stared down at her coffee, her heart racing.

"I know I'm probably freaking you out," he said. "Please don't run away," he added in a softer tone.

Eleanor glanced back up and couldn't look away. His eyes were pleading now, those big brown eyes that reminded her of chocolate and cellos and comfort and home.

"You don't see me running, do you?" she said finally, a ghost of a sympathetic smile crossing her features.

Jack's fists clenched and unclenched as he searched for the words to say. "You think you're doing me a favor by sparing me this, by letting me down gently." He set down his mug and reached for Eleanor's free hand. "You're not. Whatever you do, I will love you."

Eleanor stared at him, her blue-grey eyes shining sadly at his. "But I told you, I can't choose between you and my music—"

"So don't," he interrupted. "Go to Europe. Have your music. But whatever you do, I'll be here loving you all the same."

"You deserve someone who can give you what you want," she argued.

Jack shook his head. "It doesn't matter what I deserve. I can't just stop loving you." He repeated himself. "Go to Europe. But tell me you'll come home to me."

Eleanor pulled her hand away and turned from him. "I can't promise anything," she said haltingly.

"You don't have to," he said. "Just don't forget."

They continued talking for some time, steering away from such an awkward subject to ones they were more comfortable with. It was Jack who looked at the clock first. "Would you like to go to lunch? Continue talking?"

He glanced at her, hurriedly adding, "We don't have to if you don't want to."

Instead of turning him down as he feared, she smiled shyly, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "I'd like that."

…

Once they had sat down with their food at a nearby café, Jack delved again into the subject of the night of the concert.

"So tell me. What was going on that night?" His voice became gentler. "I know you, Eleanor. That wasn't just concern about your future. Something else was going on."

She nodded. "I guess I should tell you. You deserve to know what you walked into," she said.

She took a deep breath, and began to recount it—from the beginning.

"He lied to you," Jack growled when she had finished.

Eleanor sighed miserably. "I know. He said so many things to me, and then…" she trailed off.

"No," he replied emphatically. Jack took Eleanor's hands in his own and looked her in the eye. "He lied when he said you weren't a star."

Eleanor turned, ripping her hands away. "What do you know?" Her tears began anew. "He's a conductor, and I'm—I'm just a girl who likes to play piano."

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "You were never _just_ a girl who likes to play piano. Don't you remember the first time we met? Your mom was watching me for the afternoon, not long before I came to live in Princeton. I was alone in the living room and went up to play the piano, just for fun. I'd never seen one in person before. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you appeared, yelling at me to get away from _your_ piano. You shoved me off the bench and told me you'd show me what _real_ music sounded like." He smiled at the memory.

"Your mom overheard the whole thing from the kitchen, I remember. I think that's why she gave me my first cello. She told me that the cello was special because out of all the instruments it sounded the most like a human voice. She told me—" he broke off, his voice hitching a little, "She told me that I could let it speak for me, all the things I couldn't say myself." He looked at Eleanor again as he returned from his reverie.

"What happened to that little girl who knew she was great?" he asked her, his eyes gentle but probing.

Eleanor shrugged. "It's easy to be great when you're six," she said, giving him a half-hearted smile.

"Eleanor," he said gently, turning her towards him with his hands on her arms. He was trembling with the need to pull her to him, to hug her tight and never let go. But he resisted the temptation and instead tried logic. "Haven't you see the reviews?" he asked. She glanced up at him and shrugged.

"You did fantastic!" Jack said with an encouraging smile. "Everyone says so."

"I guess," Eleanor replied with an unconvinced sniffle.

"Was he a good conductor?" he asked, gently.

She nodded despondently. "He was a great conductor."

"Would a great conductor put anyone out there who wasn't the best they had?"

"He told me his reasons."

"Would any great conductor really let reasons like that dictate who would star in their own concert? A concert that could either bolster or ruin their own reputation?"

Eleanor paused, then shook her head.

Jack nodded, a gentle smile crossing his face. "You know you're the best, Eleanor. Everyone does. Don't ever let some jerk's jealous comments make you forget that."

…


	18. The Beginning

Chasing Grace:

The Beginning

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Even after the passage of time, Eleanor couldn't get over what Jack had said. His complete and utter devotion was alien to her.

"So you'll wait for me," she said incredulously, as they sat on the floor of her boxed-up living room just days before her departure.

"Yeah," he said with a shrug.

"You'll be here until I decide to come home. _If_ I decide to come home. You'll just be waiting." Her eyes were probing, waiting for a crack in his sureness.

"Yeah," he said, his eyes as honest as before.

She gave him a skeptical look. "Isn't that a little pathetic?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before cracking a smile. "Yeah," he answered truthfully. They both laughed. "I can't be any other way," he continued. "You're the only one for me, El. I've always known that."

She hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered, then cracked a wry smile. "For being so pathetic."

Both of them burst out laughing again, and Jack backed up to smile at his girl. "Come on," he said, inclining his head towards the bedroom door. "I'll help you finish packing."

…

Ben House walked out of a jewelry store looking smugly satisfied with himself, an expression that made him look even more like his father than ever. When he arrived back as his apartment he called his girlfriend, asking her to come over. "I've got a surprise for you," he said.

"What's this all about?" Lily asked him as he let her in the door. Her gray eyes were sparkling, as usual, this time with curiosity.

Ben led her to the couch and sat her down. "I got something for you," he said, pulling out a jewelry box.

Lily looked at him like he had three heads. "Ben, you can't afford to be buying me gifts all the time," she scolded gently.

He just smiled. "This isn't just any gift," he said. "Open it."

Lily, an expression of bewilderment on her face, took the box from his hands and slowly opened it. Inside sat a delicate silver filigree wedding ring, to match the engagement ring on her left hand. She breathed in deeply when she saw it. "It's beautiful," she said softly, reaching out a finger to touch the ring.

"I designed it myself," he said, leaning over the box. "Here," he said, taking it out, "Look on the inside."

The inside of the band had their names and wedding date, eight months away, inscribed on it. "You do too much for me," Lily said, her voice trembling.

Ben took the ring from between her fingers and put it away. He shook his head. "No," he said, "I could never do enough for you." He kissed her.

…

Eleanor House and Jack Wilson stood , facing each other, at the airport as they said their goodbyes.

"Call me," Jack said, putting his hand on Eleanor's arm.

"You know I won't," Eleanor replied matter-of-factly.

"Write me," he challenged.

"You know I won't," she repeated, looking frustrated.

He smiled. "Of course I know. It was worth a shot." Eleanor relaxed into a smile then. Maybe this would work out after all.

But then Jack's eyes probed into hers as he became suddenly serious. "Just don't forget."

"You know I won't," she repeated again, with a small grin that dropped suddenly as she gave him one last lingering look. Her hand trailed down his face, as if to memorize it. "See you on the other side," she whispered.

She turned, and he bit his lip as she walked away. She would come back to him. And if she didn't? He would go after her.

This was not the end.

…

House burst into Cuddy's office only to find his wife there.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted out, forgetting his purpose. "Cuddy doesn't retire until Friday."

She looked up from the computer, glasses on her nose. "Officially," she said. She took the glasses off and set them on the desk. "But she's having me ease in a bit over this last week."

House accepted that and plopped down on the couch, tossing a ball off the desk from one hand to the other.

"Any promising diagnosticians in your department this time around?" Cameron asked.

House shrugged. "They're all idiots."

Cameron smiled. "I'm only asking because Mercy is looking for a recommendation for someone to run their diagnostics department."

"Then you're looking for someone _out_ of my department, not in it," House refuted. Cameron just shrugged in response, putting her glasses back on.

"Offer the job to Foreman. Isn't it still his dream come true to one-up me?" he snarked.

Cameron laughed out loud. "Foreman gave up on diagnostics a long time ago. Besides, he's already retired, living the high life in Maui, last I heard."

"See, this is why I keep you around. Who else would know the whereabouts of a guy they worked with thirty years ago?" he responded with a smirk. When all Cameron gave him was an eye roll, he turned back to tossing his ball around.

"So what are you doing?"

"Just looking over some of Ben's immigration paperwork," she answered, squinting at the screen.

The ball stopped bouncing between hands. "So he's really going to do this thing, isn't he?"

"Looks like it," Cameron replied with a wobbly smile.

"Don't tell me you're getting all mushy on me now," House replied with an eye roll.

"I can't help it!" Cameron's voice was a little unsteady. "I talked to Eleanor this morning just before her plane took off. They're both gone," she finished, blinking back tears.

House hoisted himself up from the sofa, dropping the ball carelessly between the couch cushions. He took two long strides to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "You realize they've both been out of the house for years—" he began, but Cameron cut him off.

"But New York is only a couple hours away, and I always thought Ben would come back…" she said, the tremble in her voice turning into full-blown sobs.

She sniffled. "I'm so sorry, Greg. I've just been feeling a little—"

"Lonely?" House supplied.

The two of them were silent as they held to each other. House still wasn't big on comfort, but he knew better than to ruin this moment with clumsy words.

She spoke again, after her sniffling was back under control. "Wilson asked for leave for a month. Lisa wants the two of them to go on vacation to Florida."

House snorted. "Typical retiree."

"It's only for a month, but it's still going to be strange without them."

"Yeah, first it's a month, then it's for the whole winter, then they're playing in shuffleboard tournaments at the retirement home," House said sarcastically.

House heard a muffled laugh from Cameron, but now it was his turn to say something serious.

"Allison, you never have to be lonely when I'm around," he said, his voice surprising in it's gentleness. His arms tightened around her. "I'll always be here."

…

When it was evening in Princeton, Allison House was on her way home with a bag of groceries, and Gregory House was brooding over a case in his office. At that same moment, Eleanor House was getting off a plane in Spain. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder as she took in the sight before her.

She inhaled shakily, and spoke to herself under her breath:

"Europe, here I come."

…

A/N: Yes, guys, this is it. There is an epilogue coming up, however, that will likely answer all your unanswered questions and tie up loose ends. Thanks for sticking around!


	19. Epilogue

Chasing Grace:

Epilogue

…

A/N: Before I do this, I want to thank the readers so much for sticking with me! It was a bumpy road, but we're here at the end, and I hope it was worth it. I appreciate you taking the time to read my story, in spite of my inconsistency in posting. Thank you all, and I hope you enjoyed it!

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Eleanor House was feeling flustered and nervous. She had always hated being the center of attention unless there was a piano involved.

There was no piano involved today; indeed the only music would be from a string quartet. But it wasn't the quartet that was making her nervous—it was what they were going to play.

She had composed the wedding march herself. She didn't think of herself as much of a composer, but this was different. As much as she was terrified to walk down the aisle, she couldn't dream of walking to something written by someone else. She needed something with special meaning, something for her and Jack alone.

Neither she nor Jack had wanted a huge wedding, but they soon realized that they both had a number of friends and family members they wanted to include. So they ended up here, at Central Park, instead of a government office as they had once planned. The ceremony would be outdoors in the beautiful fall weather, but for now Eleanor was inside a tent to finish getting ready and await her groom.

Jack had been so patient with her. There were so many times she had been selfish. She hadn't made time for him, she'd pushed him away, and yet he never gave up on her. He said he would never make her choose between her music and him—and somehow he'd kept his word.

Between performances and rehearsals, tours and auditions, he had stuck by her, claiming whatever time she was willing to give. And she found that she wanted to give it, and more.

After a few years of fame and fortune, she returned to New York. She had been happy there, and somehow she always knew she would return. Jack seemed to have known too.

He had given her time to follow the things that she wanted, and time to return to him when she was ready. And now she was poised to enter the stage for her new life with him. She was ready to give him all the things that he had wanted, she thought, her hands brushing down her wedding dress to rest on the slight bump around her waist.

Her sister-in-law Lily ran in breathlessly, red hair flying. She always seemed a little harried, but manhandling 2-year-old twins would do that to a person. "Where is everyone?" she asked in confusion.

"Mom wanted to give me a moment alone before the ceremony," Eleanor said, smoothing down her dress.

Lily's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm so sorry to intrude, El! I'll leave right away!" She turned to go, but Eleanor grabbed her arm.

"No, stay, please. I'd like some company now," she admitted. Lily smiled.

She didn't know Lily all that well. They lived in different countries and both led busy lives. But from all she'd seen, Lily seemed to be a sweet, effervescent person, and she had made Eleanor's little brother happier than she'd ever remembered seeing him.

Suddenly Cameron entered with Lisa Cuddy, her daughter Rachel, and Eleanor's friend Norah following on her heels.

"It's almost time, Eleanor," Cameron said warmly, checking over her daughter one more time.

Eleanor's long hair was pulled back into an elegant chignon at the base of her neck. Her dress was simple and graceful, her makeup light and dewy, and she carried a bouquet of peony and lavender. She wore pearls, the ones Cameron had worn in her wedding, and her mother before her.

In a sudden burst of emotion, Cameron pulled her daughter to her. "You look beautiful, Ellie, and I'm so happy for you." Cameron blinked back tears.

Eleanor pulled back a little. "Don't cry, mom! You'll make me cry, and then Rachel will have to do my makeup again," she said with a smile.

"Okay, okay," Cameron acquiesced, wiping the tears away. "But let me just give you fair warning that I can't keep the tears at bay all evening!"

"Eleanor?" Norah interrupted tentatively. The women all turned towards her. "Your dad is here."

"Daddy," she breathed, running into House's arms as soon as Norah opened the tent flap. At that moment she had forgotten everyone else in the room.

"Hey!" he protested. "I'm too old to be tackled." But he put both arms around her in a tight hug.

When she let go, she looked around for a moment, with a slight frown. "What is it, El?" her mother asked worriedly, wanting everything to be perfect for her girl.

Eleanor looked up at her father. "Dad, where's your cane?"

He shrugged. "I figured you wouldn't want to look like you were going down the aisle with some old cripple. I left it with Wilson."

"That cane is practically a part of your arm!" Eleanor was looking up at him earnestly. "I wouldn't want to go down the aisle with part of you missing," she said, looking up at him with a gentle expression. Even after all these years he rarely walked without it.

House stared down at her for a moment before cracking a smile. "If you insist," he said finally. Cuddy ran out immediately to fetch it for them.

Soon it was in his right hand, his daughter on the other arm. "Are you ready?" he asked her.

She nodded. Each of the women gave Eleanor a hug before going to their places. Only Norah, Eleanor's maid of honor, stayed.

"Daddy?" Eleanor began, just before they exited the tent, "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" House asked, surprised.

"For everything," she said haltingly. Tears pricked at her eyes. "If you hadn't talked sense into me I wouldn't be here today."

House pulled his daughter to him for a moment, a rare show of true affection. "Just be happy, El."

And they took a step outside.

…

The reception was held in another part of the garden, in an open-air tent filled with music and laughter.

House and Cameron sat apart from the others, observing the scene. "She really looks happy, I think," Cameron mused, watching her daughter with her new husband.

House smirked. "All she needed was a swift kick in the butt, then five or so years of traveling to settle down."

Cameron whacked her husband gently on the arm. "Greg," she scolded, but she was laughing in spite of herself.

"She looks beautiful," Cameron added.

House shrugged. "I only have eyes for the mother of the bride," he said with a glint in his eye.

Cameron turned to look at him, giving him a radiant smile. In spite of her years, she did look beautiful, just as beautiful as when they married thirty-odd years ago, House thought.

She kissed him. "Are you trying to get into my pants, sir?" she asked with a grin.

"Under your skirt would be more accurate," he said, lifting the hem with the end of his cane.

"Hey!" she said, swatting the cane away. "Not until we're back at the hotel."

House looked around. "This is a big park. Lots of secluded areas… the perfect place to escape the party for a little while."

Cameron smiled, but shook her head. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

She looked around her. Wilson and Cuddy were laughing to themselves after having a few too many glasses of wine. Rachel Cuddy was walking around with her youngest, Samuel, while the older two played tag under Althea's watch.

Robert Chase was here with his wife, excitedly telling old friends about his stepdaughter's new baby. Ben and Lily were each cradling one of their twin boys, Nicholas and Joshua, while deep in conversation with a few friends.

Jack and Eleanor had caught a moment alone and were sitting together in the glow that only comes from love. Their hands, wearing the bands of their promise, were placed together on Eleanor's stomach, treasuring the first signs of new life.

Cameron looked around her and smiled. "I think the kids are going to be just fine."

…

_Ben and Lily stayed in Edinburgh after completing their schooling, and Ben found work at the Royal Infirmary. He started out in intensive care, but soon realized that diagnostics was in his blood. Ben and Lily went on to have one more child, Violet, a few years later._

_Jack and Eleanor loved the hustle and bustle of New York City, and Eleanor was happy to finally return there after her years of travel. Jack took on a full professorship at NYU, and Eleanor continued to be in demand for her talent as a pianist. Jack and Eleanor's daughter, Emily, was born in the early spring after their wedding, and she followed her mother's enthusiasm for music in another medium: dance._

_House and Cameron stayed in Princeton. They continued to work for a few more years, but when Cameron decided to retire, House surprised her by doing the same. After all they had been through together, he didn't want to spend the last years of his life too busy to enjoy her. They kept their home in Princeton, but spent much of their time traveling, seeing new and old places, and driving their children crazy by visiting them often. The grandchildren, at least, enjoyed the visits, though that may have something to do with the gifts their grandparents would inevitably bring._

_House and Cameron had several happy years together before House finally passed away. Cameron's children kept her company during the bad times, but soon she came to peace with it. With Cuddy's help, she established a scholarship at Princeton in his name. Cameron lived a full and happy life for several more years before passing away suddenly, the same year that her grandson, Nicholas, entered a pre-med program at Princeton University. _

_The House family had come full circle. _

…

A/N: I can't believe it's over. I hope you all enjoyed the ride as much as I did. 3


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